Three Little Lovebirds
by Cheesesack
Summary: As the threat of a Reaper invasion looms over Citadel space, Shepard finds her heart torn between two women in her crew. As she struggles with her personal problems, an agent of her greatest enemy watches, and waits. ParagonFemshep/Tali/Liara. Rated M for sex, gore and language. Starts and is currently in ME1 with plans to include ME2 and ME3 in the future. Slight AU overtones.
1. Chapter 1: Trust Me I'm A Doctor

**Author's Notes:**

Hey everyone, and welcome to my story. It's been over two years in the making now and I'm still far from finished; so if you're looking for a long read, then this is definitely for you. For those who may be put off by the length, please don't be. I'd like to think that it's worth your time reading this, and if you enjoy it as much as I hope you do, you'll be at the end in no time :)

I started this story well before Mass Effect 2 came out. Certain things that are revealed in ME2 and ME3 (Tali's father's name for example) I have retconned to be correct, but other things were already so well established in the story that I couldn't go back and change them. I've also taken a few liberties with the plot of ME1, so if you're looking for something that sticks totally to the game storyline without deviating at all, this isn't it. I haven't made any drastic changes however, so don't let that put you off; everything is still basically the same.

With those things said, I hope you enjoy the story. If you like it (or if you don't even), please, please review. I love getting reviews, and they're a major inspiration to write the chapters and get them published.

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 1 – Trust Me, I'm A Doctor**

Dr. Liara T'Soni pursed her lips and softly blew on the miniature figurine she held gingerly in her hands. A cloud of dust rose from the small, carved piece of stone and circled lazily into the cave air. Removing the tiny laser carver from her belt and setting it to the lowest setting, she proceeded to run it briefly over the statue's contours. More dust came away, stripping off in layers to reveal the surface beneath. The model was of a Prothean, or at least Liara assumed it was a Prothean, sitting on a small, stone dais. The figure's long, spindly arms rested on its knees and its head was in its hands, hiding the face. Liara pondered the sculpture's pose. Was it one of tiredness, or despair, or maybe even embarrassment? It was impossible to tell. She'd never been too good at reading people, let alone a small, eroded figurine.

Running her laser brush over it once more, she recorded the discovery on her datapad and then proceeded to place it carefully in a crate with the other finds. Most of what she'd found so far appeared to be simple, personal effects like one might expect to find in any household. Indeed, the structure did appear to have many similarities to a high rise apartment building, only burrowed into the ground. Still, if her hypothesis was correct, this cavern had formed in the centuries since the Prothean extinction.

There was certainly plenty of evidence to support her theory. A central lift system led to lots of small, tiled alcoves that honeycombed the walls. They appeared too small for anyone to comfortably live in, but it was possible that larger rooms lurked on the far side. A mining laser had been shipped down a few days ago, and the plan was to tunnel through to the unexplored caverns within the next week. If the penetrating scans of the mountain were correct, the section they had here was just the tip of the iceberg. It was enough to make Liara feel heady with excitement, but she reeled herself in.

'A good scientist is passionate about her field, but maintains a clinical detachment so as to more clearly understand the evidence,' she reminded herself. She realised she had said it out loud; most embarrassing had anyone been there to hear. It reminded her why she preferred the solitude of an archaeological dig.

"People can be so unpredictable, there's no logic to them at all," she said out loud again, as if the rocks might nod their chiselled chins in agreement.

She knew that she should turn in for the night. The idea of snuggling down into a cosy camp-bed was appealing, but her scientific curiosity begged her to go and re-examine the structure beforehand. She strolled back to the entrance, her footsteps echoing loudly against the cavern walls. The most interesting thing about the facility was the fact that some of the technology still appeared to function. There were several old control panels that, whilst they were faulty and unreliable, appeared to control security devices in the main facility. There was a second panel that she guessed activated the lift, although she had not yet been able to decipher the controls.

A clicking sound came from behind her, its position impossible to pinpoint thanks to the acoustics of the cave. Liara spun round, her biotics powering up out of instinct. They offered her little comfort as she fearfully crept forward a few paces. That had not sounded like anything she'd ever heard. For a few minutes, deathly silence reigned, broken only by Liara's heavy breathing. Eventually, she began to relax. It was probably just her tired mind playing tricks on her; maybe it was time to get some sleep after all.

The noise sounded again, possibly closer though it was difficult to tell. This was no trick; someone else was in here with her.

"H-Hello?" Liara called, her voice wavering with uncertainty. It occurred to her it may not have been the wisest idea to announce her position to whoever it was.

'Probably just one of those young human males from the dig team having a joke at my expense,' she thought to herself. It sounded unconvincing even to her; she'd never heard a human make that sort of noise.

"If this is a joke, it's not funny!" she called out, wincing at how loud her voice sounded in the still atmosphere.

Holding her breath, and wishing she could stop her heart from pounding in her chest, Liara peered out of the entrance, up at the network of walkways above. A solitary figure stood several floors up. It was silhouetted in the dimness of the upper cavern, its black body broken up only by a single glow emanating from what appeared to be its head. Definitely not human.

The creature did not move, and Liara guessed it had not yet spotted her. 'Makes sense.' she thought, rather than spoke, this time. 'The same acoustics that prevented me from locating it would stop it from finding me by voice alone.'

She took a moment to try and determine what it was. It was too bulky for a Turian, too lithe for a Krogan. Indeed, it looked a little bit like a Quarian, save for the glowing head. Something clicked in the back of Liara's mind and a jolt icy dread ran down her spine. Images from when she was little, sitting at her mother's knee as her mother taught her galactic history jostled with fear for a place in her minds eye. It was a Geth.

That was the moment that the mechanical neck swivelled her way. The aperture of the light narrowed as the Geth soldier focused on her. The cold gaze was simultaneously baleful and completely incomprehensible. The cavern was flooded with a metallic screech as the machine raised the alarm to its nearby compatriots. The noise grated at the base of Liara's skull, piercing her head and driving all rational thought from her mind. She fell to her knees, trying to focus enough brainpower to bring up a biotic barrier to block whatever it was from entering her head. With a force of will that squeezed tears from between her scrunched up eyelids, she erected a biotic shield and cut off the cacophony.

There was no time to rest on her laurels; the cave was now alive with Geth activity. Nimble hoppers scurried and leapt across the rock face like grotesque tree-frogs. Their slower allies rushed headlong down the walkways, chattering and squealing to each other as they came. The whole din sounded like the most awful feedback imaginable.

Liara's mind was running, sweat trickling down the crevasses between the crests on her head. Escape was not an option; the Geth blocked her only viable way out. She could try the Prothean elevator…no, there was no time to try and decipher the controls now. Her only option was to activate the barrier curtain. That would at least offer some protection until she could figure out another, less temporary solution. The Geth were closing fast, their long, double jointed legs propelling them at a ruthlessly fast sprint towards the young Asari. They evidently realised her intentions.

'Strange that they have not yet fired,' Liara mused, before forcing her mind back to the panel in front of her. What did the symbols mean? She had left her datapad with their translations at the camp…her mind was blank! Think, Goddess…think!

She remembered the combination just as the first Geth passed the threshold of the oval entrance. With a low hum, the barrier curtain raised, slicing the leading Geth clean in half as it did. The synthetic scanned the area momentarily, as if surprised or confused, before crumpling to the ground. Coolant and other mechanical fluids leaked across the tiled floor, sinking into the cracked grout and pooling at Liara's feet. She felt a small pang of regret for the robot which now lay twitching in front of her. It was most probably mindless, simply following orders from a higher power. It had no control of its actions.

Higher power? Liara felt shaken to her very core. Who could possibly want her dead? She was a humble scientist, nothing more. 'I guess I do have certain knowledge of the Protheans…but nothing that could help the Geth or any other power hungry megalomaniac.' she thought aloud, still nervously looking at the dead Geth as if it would miraculously spring to life.

Liara suddenly realised that the cavern was completely silent. The Geth were not pounding at the shield or looking for a way to bypass it. Nor however had they left. They simply stood outside in perfectly ordered, military rows and stared. Their bodies were silent and still as the grave, no breathing, no shuffling, no blinking; just hard, cold, inhuman gazes. She squinted slightly against the combined brightness of their eyepieces. There was no way out, the barrier shield was enabled on all levels. Even if she could get the lift operational, she would be stuck as there was no way to open the barrier up above. No, best to stay near the commotion; someone was more likely to find her.

'Who though?' she said, the full severity of her situation washing over her. 'If the Geth are inside, the dig team is either dead or captured. No one else will miss my absence. I'm…alone."

It was tempting to give in to panic; she could feel it creeping up on her, like a hungry predator just waiting to pounce and devour her sanity. Of course, she knew all too well that she'd eventually go crazy, but not before starving to death.

'No,' she said resolutely, trying to inject some confidence into her weak voice. 'I'm still alive and I've still got my mind, there must be a way out…there has to be.'

A woozy feeling swept over her, nearly sinking Liara to her knees again. She hadn't realised just quite how tired she was. Maybe it was best to approach the problem anew after a bit of rest. Fortunately, she had her small pack with her that contained a few scraps of food and most importantly right now, a micro thermal blanket. She opened it up, aware of the Geth's stares as a tingling feeling on her spine. She hoped she'd be able to sleep with their unnerving presence.

'Perhaps that is their goal,' she mused as she took out the small blanket capsule. 'Maybe they think I will crack and open the barrier myself.' She laughed nervously.

'Oh Goddess, I'm going to die in here!' Liara whispered sadly as she opened the container, letting the blanket spill out onto the ground. Wrapping herself in its insulating, padded folds, she tried to get comfortable on the hard, stone floor. The malevolent Geth presence loomed behind her like an unspeakable nightmare. Huddling as far into the blanket as possible, tiredness overcame her nerves and she soon fell into a restless, uncomfortable sleep.

* * *

_Mechanical monsters, everywhere. They swarmed over her mother's home, killing all in their path. The lush greenery of the garden was strewn with corpses and Asari bits. She saw her childhood friends butchered in front of her, their azure blood bathing her face and hands. Screams punctuated the crackling roar of burning buildings, the entire planet was burning. Cold, metal fingers reached forward, an insane chattering filling her ears. She cried for help, but there was none._

_Dark shadows closed in and she was falling, falling down…down…down, down the central shaft of the Prothean ruins. Only there was no end, just a constant blur of motion on all sides. A voice cackled in the background and the leering face of Benezia loomed from the turmoil. A sadistic grin pulled her lips into a snarl._

_ "My dear Liara, my poor sweet child." She cooed with mocking sarcasm "Whatever is the matter? Why do you cry so?"_

_ "Mother!" Liara cried, sobs choking her voice "Help me…please help me!"_

_ "Help you? My dear, what makes you think I could possibly care about a pureblood scum like you? You were never anything but a disgrace to me, an embarrassment."_

_ "I…It's not true!" she yelled, tears of hurt streaming down her face. "You loved me, you…you…left me." Her mother's laughter filled the air, mocking her only daughter. Liara was curled in a ball, sobbing on the floor. "You're not real!" she whimpered over and over again._

_ A hand touched her back, gently, soothingly. She could feel a presence behind her, but dared not look up. Strong arm encircled her, lifting her body off the floor and into their powerful embrace. The stranger held her, stroking her back tenderly. Liara could no longer hear her mother's cruel words, the figure had blocked them from her mind. She tried to look up, to see the face of her enigmatic protector, but it was already slipping away. The scene dissolved, leaving Liara alone once again._

* * *

Liara awoke with the warmth of her guardian's embrace still lingering on her skin. She couldn't remember the dream, but the dried tear stains down her cheeks indicated it hadn't been good. Flexing her muscles to alleviate the stiffness, she rose to her feet and tucked the blanket back into her pack. Remembering the events of the previous day, her head whipped around sharply. The Geth still stood there, immobile, but their pattern had changed. They now stood on either side, flanking the barrier and making a passage between their rows. It was as if a double door had been opened to admit entrance.

That was not all…there was a figure approaching. It sported the same flashlight head of all Geth, but it was bigger by far. It towered a head and shoulders above the others, its polished white carapace glinting in the constant, artificial light. Its powerful legs flexed with each footfall, raising dust clouds from the cavern floor.

The Geth Prime ascended the incline to the entrance, passing between the parallel rows of lower Geth. Every robot stood rigidly at attention, giving no indication that anything had changed. The leaders gaze bored a hole right through Liara, as if its aperture was searching and cataloguing her every thought. The Asari stood her ground; it was easy to feel defiant when there was an impervious barrier between her and her adversary.

A smaller, shadowy figure stepped from behind the Prime. Liara could not make out its features, but bits of its body were highlighted by a tubing that glowed faintly blue. It was of humanoid shape and proportions, but when it entered a puddle of light, it was most definitely not human. Liara felt sick at the sight of the cybernetic reanimated corpse before her. It had once been Asari but those days were long gone. The rich blue of her race's skin had been dulled to a mute grey and its withered frame was kept upright only by the mess of machinery that replaced organs and muscles. The face stared at her, empty pits of blue light shone where eyes should have been.

Liara stared transfixed, she…she knew this Asari. She recognized the tribal tattoo that was still visible on the head crests. It was Thormina, a disciple of Benezia and childhood friend to Liara. She had not seen her in many years, but there was no mistaking the trademark tattoo. Indeed, she was the only tattooed Asari Liara had ever seen, the vast majority of her race had a violent allergic reaction to the inks.

She stumbled forward to where the creature stood, just the other side of the barrier. Forcing herself to meet its gaze, Liara raised her hand, brushing the shield in front of her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered.

The undead Asari stared blankly at her, its moth hanging open to accommodate nutrient tubes. Then, with a rattling rasp, it began to speak. Its perished voice box was unable to produce the full range of sounds necessary, being replaced by synthesised noises when needed. The strange staccato speech pattern was utterly alien, holding no trace of the music or grace typical of the Asari.

_"Li-a-ra…it's…me." _She recoiled; this thing was addressing her by name.

"W…W…Who…What are you?"

_ "This one…remembers. She was a…servant of Benezia. She followed her when she joined the master. Her impertinence…she spoke out…rebelled against the master…for that…she was punished."_

The words clearly caused the creature great effort. Liara didn't know what to do. Did the machine truly remember who it once was, or was this another trick?

_"We did not wish to obey…"_ Thormina continued, _"…the reaper god and it's…man puppet demanded servitude…in exchange for existence."_

"You're speaking for the Geth," Liara whispered, comprehension dawning.

_"Please…let us in…let me in. It's…cold, so…cold."_

Liara was wracked with uncertainty. Every logical fibre in her body screamed it was a trap, screamed that the Geth were manipulating her. If her mother was working with 'The Master', they knew all her weaknesses, knew how to exploit them.

On the other hand, could she leave this poor wretch to her cruel, grisly fate? If there was still the slightest bit of her old friend left, was it not her duty to help her? What if it was true, what if the Geth too were being manipulated? Could she turn down this alliance and condemn an entire race, however malevolent, to death?

A war raged in her mind as her fingers hovered uncertainly above the control panel. Silence reigned supreme as she struggled with her conscience. Slowly, her finger descended towards the button that would lower the barrier. It was nearly there, inching closer and closer.

"No!" she almost screamed at the last second, sliding her finger to the side as she pressed. The digit missed the release button and hit the adjoining symbol. Liara froze; she had not yet been able to figure out what that button did. This didn't bode well. A deep rumbling of ancient machinery told her something was happening. The ground began to shake slightly and suddenly the walls were sliding apart. Crackling filled the air as the chamber she was in flooded with dark energy. Sparks played off the control panel and the energy barrier, fizzing and dancing with bright bursts of light.

Liara tried to bring up a biotic shield against the energy, but it was already inside her. It flooded her neurones, damping her own powers. It felt like someone had enveloped her in a wet towel, smothering her senses. She felt her feet leave the floor as the field coagulated into a visible bubble of power around her. It pulled her helpless body to a position a few feet above the floor. Liara tried to struggle, straining her muscles against the force but it was like trying to swim through impossibly thick treacle. The effort exhausted her before she could get anywhere.

The Geth were moving, sensing that their way inside was now unable to aid them. The Husk-Thormina simply collapsed to the ground, the blue sparks of life in her eyes extinguished. A dazzling flash later, only a pile of carbonated ash remained.

Liara had never felt so helpless. At least before, she had the pretence of formulating a plan to keep her mind off her incarceration. Now, any attempt to escape was thwarted before it had even begun. Her muscles ached from being held at such an awkward angle but there was no way to relieve them. There was nothing she could do now but offer prayers to the Goddess that someone knew where she was and would come looking. How long would it take? Days? Weeks? Months? She'd be dead if they did not come within a week.

"Please Goddess," she begged. "Let someone find me before…before it's too late."

It wasn't until a few days later that something intruded upon the mind numbing monotony of Liara's current existence. The young Asari roused herself from her meditation, trying to suppress the flutter of hope in her chest. The last thing she needed was to have her hopes raised, only to be crushed by the appearance of more Geth. It was so hard not to be cynical when things had so far gone consistently from bad to worse. Still, the sounds of fighting were drawing closer. Whoever it was, they appeared to be winning.

* * *

Commander Shepard sprinted down the inclined walkway, spraying the air before her with bullets. Behind, the report of Chief Williams' AR sounded loudly above the chaotic din of battle. Their combined firepower scythed down the Geth troopers ahead, coating the walls behind them with sickly green fluid.

Shepard dove behind a crate as a rocket past. She was quickly joined in cover by Tali, the shotgun she bore looking oddly out of place on her lithe frame.

"I'm gonna take this bastard," Shepard panted, gulping down air to quickly re-oxygenate her aching muscles. "Be ready to cover me."

The young Quarian nodded, silently wishing the Commander luck. A few metres ahead, the blood-red Geth soldier stalked forward, priming another missile. It was out of Ashley's firing arc, time to act.

Shepard charged her nervous system, the dark energy flowing freely to her call. The pulsing feeling at the base of her skull was comfortingly familiar, helping the Commander steel herself.

Rolling out from behind the crate, Shepard instantly located her adversary, a Geth rocket trooper. A flick of the wrist, and her biotic power was unleashed, exploding in a concussive blast behind the synthetic. A whirr of alarm emanated from the Geth as it was thrown off its feet at bone-shattering speed, right at the Commander. Shepard drew back her fist, feeling the motorized exoskeleton move with her. Then, just before her enemy sent them both plummeting to their deaths, she smashed her armoured gauntlet into the trooper's head. The exoskeleton enhanced her strength to the point where her fist passed right through the unlucky synthetic. The robot's head exploded into a pulverised mush on the ground.

Steadying herself against her thighs, breathing heavily, Shepard motioned her two squadmates out of cover. Ashley made a point of stepping on the dead Geth as they passed.

"Orders, Commander?" she asked, holstering the AR onto the hard-point on her back.

"The dig camp is at the base of this cavern," Shepard explained. "It's as good a place as any to start our search. There should be a…"

The Commander broke off, military senses overriding her inane chatter. A red mote of light, so small it was nearly invisible, was tracing its way lazily over the swell of Tali's chest. It hadn't been there a second ago and clearly it wasn't part of the suit. That could only mean...

"Er…Shepard?" the Quarian inquired, shuffling her feet nervously under the intense scrutiny. Having the spectre staring so openly at her torso was somewhat...unexpected.

"Get down!" Shepard suddenly yelled, diving at her friend. The loud crack of a sniper rifle broke the air, ripping all thoughts of self-consciousness from Tali's head.

The Spectre tackled Tali to the floor, but not fast enough to avoid getting hit herself. The high calibre round impacted her shoulder plate hard, ripping through her shields and body like a knife through butter. The sheer force blasted her off the Quarian and sent Shepard reeling into a crate.

Ashley already had her own sniper rifle in hand and two quick shots later, the would-be assassin fell with a mechanical rasp to the cavern floor 50 metres below. Tali was already at Sheppard's side, instinctively running through first aid procedure in her mind. The Spectre clutched at her wound, gritting her teeth against the pain.

"You're okay, Commander," Tali said, not quite managing to hide the overwhelming relief that she felt. "The bullet passed right through, all you need is a little medigel."

Unclasping Shepard's shoulder plate, the young engineer smeared her shoulder with the healing salve. Shepard winced as the cool gel filled her wound, stinging intensely. The pain quickly subsided however and the Commander rose unsteadily to her feet.

"You scared me good there, Commander," Ashley said shakily, still scanning the area for any more snipers "You still mission fit?"

"Yeah, I'm fine…thanks Tali," the Spectre replied, retrieving her rifle from the ground.

"It was my fault," the Quarian began to apologize. "I should have been more observant."

"Nonsense. I should have moved quicker, that's all."

The Commander emphasised her point by clumsily drawing Tali in for a reassuring hug with her good arm. Had she not been distracted by the mission, Lucy may have noticed how quickly and eagerly the engineer accepted the embrace, or possibly heard the small sigh that escaped through the young girl's air filter. It was over all too soon and before Tali could respond, the spectre had broken off and disappeared down the walkways.

Shaking her head firmly and trying to remain focused, the Quarian jogged after the other two women. Her fantasies had nearly got Luc...Shepard killed; she couldn't let it happen again.

* * *

Liara could not help but be curious. The crumpled Geth body plummeting to the floor had come as somewhat of a shock, but not an unpleasant one. Someone was definitely on the attack and apparently they were no friend to synthetics. A grinding of gears and screeching metal as one of the rusty lifts creaked into motion confirmed her hypothesis. The sound came to a stop a small way above the scientist's position. She could hear voices, conversing in what seemed to be a military fashion. At this point she didn't care who they were, for one of the few times in her life she was simply glad she wasn't alone.

"H…Hello? Anybody out there? I need help!" she called as loudly as she could. Her voice was weak and croaky, courtesy of dehydration.

Footsteps approached her position.

* * *

Lucy Shepard dropped off the broken platform, a whir of joints cushioning her fall. Behind she heard twin grunts as her companions also descended. She quickly identified the voice she'd heard as coming from the young Asari in front of her. She appeared to be trapped in some kind of energy bubble. Cautiously, Shepard approached.

"Can you hear me out there? I'm trapped, I need help!" the scientist, presumably Dr. Liara T'soni, called.

"I hear you," Lucy said, giving Liara a reassuring smile. "I'm Commander Shepard. I'm a Spectre."

"Please, you've got to get me out of here!" the Asari said, panic touching her voice.

"I'm happy to assist," Lucy replied quickly before Liara got carried away. "But first, you've got to tell me what to do."

"Oh…oh right, of course," Liara stammered. "The button to shut this off is on the console to my left, but you cannot access it from outside. You'll have to find some way past the barrier curtain."

"I understand," the Spectre said, sizing up the situation. "We'll be back for you as soon as possible. Don't go anywhere."

Lucy chuckled slightly at her own joke before setting off towards the camp. Ashley jogged up alongside her, uncertainty evident in her expression.

"Commander…sorry if I'm out of line but, can we really trust her? I mean, her mother's an ally of Saren."

Lucy looked at her like a parent may look at a naughty child. It was kind of patronizing, but Ashley had gotten used to it.

"Innocent until proven guilty, chief. Besides, it's not like she can do anything until we release her."

Williams nodded, falling back into position behind the skipper. She sometimes wondered if the Commander trusted too easily. She always seemed ready to assume the best of anyone. It was an admirable trait, even if Ashley's cynicism prevented her from thinking the same. If people wanted her trust, they had to earn it first.

"What do you make of her, Tali?" she asked, glancing at her Quarian friend. Tali was staring fixatedly ahead, lost in a daydream.

"She's breathtaking…" Tali whispered reverently, so quietly that Ashley barely caught more than a sigh.

"You okay? You seem a bit out of it." the Chief asked, giving the engineer a sidelong look. She'd been acting kinda funny the entire mission.

The young Quarian jumped as if struck by lightening, apparently she hadn't realised how close Williams was.

"What? I…no, I'm fine." Tali blustered, suddenly becoming incredibly fascinated by a nearby packing container. Ashley smirked to herself; the pieces were slowly falling into place. If she was correct, the engineer had most definitely not been referring to little miss Prothean expert.

* * *

Liara was still struggling to hold back a panic attack. It was odd that she only started to feel scared now that someone was here. It was the same before any social interaction. She always managed to muddle through somehow, but the fear of saying something embarrassing never failed to cause butterflies at the pit of her stomach. It was not just that however. She'd just been able to hear what the other woman had said as the group walked off. What if they didn't trust her? Would they just leave her here, simply for being a traitor's daughter?

'Your mother is no traitor,' she chided herself. 'You just don't have all the facts yet, that's all. You're jumping to conclusions.'

It wasn't long before a huge explosion shook the ruin to its very roots. A sound of thunder rolled through the air, dislodging dust from the ceiling. It sprinkled on Liara's lab coat, forcing a sneeze from the young Asari. The sound of boots on tiled floor sounded behind her. The doctor craned her neck, trying to peer over her shoulder. She was relieved to see Commander Shepard and company emerging from a cloud of dust.

"How did you get in here?" Liara enquired, searching for something to say.

"We blasted our way in with a mining laser." Lucy said, still smiling that warm smile.

"Oh. Yes, that makes sense." Liara fumbled over the words, that woman's smile was so disarming. Was she always this friendly, or was it intended sarcastically?

'I know so little about these humans, I wonder if I shall ever understand them?'

She certainly found their customs fascinating, but struggled to emulate them with the ease that came naturally to so many of her kind.

'So much for the graceful, mysterious image of my race,' she thought bitterly.

While her thoughts wandered, Lucy was busy trying to make sense of the Prothean control panel. The symbols were completely alien to her, and not arranged in any logical pattern she could decipher. Her brow furrowed in concentration; one wrong push and they could all be trapped.

"Perhaps I can help," Tali volunteered brightly. She shuffled up alongside Lucy, rubbing shoulders with her in order to get a better view. With a 'wharp', a holographic omni-tool enveloped her hand. Slow minutes passed as the two focused on the bizarre holographic interface.

"I think it's this one," both said at the same time, going for the same button. Lucy's five-fingered hand met Tali's three-fingered one a centimetre above the display. The engineer held it there for about a second longer than was strictly necessary. With a furtive glance at Lucy, she withdrew it quickly.

"Sorry, Shepard. Go ahead…I'm as certain as I can be that it's correct."

"What is the symbol?" Liara piped up from behind.

"Er…it's two overlapping semicircles with a dot in the centre," Lucy replied.

"Good, that is the right one…at least I think it is."

"Only one way to find out."

The Commander pushed the button, tensing and half expecting rotating blades to slice her in half or flames to burst from the walls. For a few long seconds, nothing happened. Lucy realised that Liara was several feet above the ground, and turned just in time to catch the falling Asari as gravity re-asserted itself over her. She felt so light, but that was probably the exoskeleton bearing some of the load.

For Liara's part, she hadn't been expecting Shepard to catch her fall. It was nice though; there was something lingeringly familiar about the feel of those strong arms on her body. Asaris are naturally empathic, and Liara had learnt that her intuition was rarely wrong. She was almost sorry when the Commander lowered her onto her own feet.

"Are you okay? Can you walk?" she asked, effortlessly supporting the Asari maiden with one arm.

"My legs are a bit weak from my imprisonment, but I should be okay," Liara replied with a tentative smile.

No sooner had Shepard released her, than a seismic tremor nearly sent them all sprawling on the floor.

"We need to go!" Liara cried urgently. "That mining laser must have destabilised the ruins."

"We'll go out the same way we got to you, via the central elevator!" Lucy shouted above the din of disintegrating masonry. Liara was about to tell them that she did not yet know how to operate it, when the circular platform began to accelerate upwards.

"How did you do that?" she asked, slightly incredulously.

"Just got lucky, I suppose," Shepard quipped with another cheeky smile. Liara couldn't help but smile meekly too; Lucy's good humour was infectious.

"I suppose I should thank you," the Asari continued. "If you hadn't come when you did…I owe you my life Commander Shepard."

"You don't owe me anything." the Spectre said firmly 'Except maybe a drink sometime'

The rogue thought flashed through her head, threatening to spill onto her tongue. Whoa, where in god's name did that spring from? Lucy couldn't make sense of it; surely she wasn't...

The jolt of the pedestal locking firmly into position shook her from the stupor just in time. A Krogan stood between them and their exit with a big smile on his reptilian face and an even bigger gun hanging casually from one hand. Geth lackeys chirped behind him, lining up for a clear shot.

"Well now, what have we here?" he chuckled, effortlessly making himself heard over the rumbling. "It seems you girls are making off with Saren's prize…I'm afraid I can't allow that."

Shepard looked disbelievingly between the Krogan and her allies. Who the hell would pick a fight at a time like this?

"In case you hadn't noticed, this place is falling apart!"

"Exhilarating, isn't it?" the battle-master returned, completely undeterred. "Now hand over the doctor!"

"You can't!" Liara pleaded "You wouldn't, would you?"

"If you want her, you're gonna have to come through me!" Lucy snarled, summoning her biotic powers in preparation.

"I was hoping you'd say that," the Krogan crowed. In a flash he was charging with a speed quite incredible for a creature of his bulk. The Geth opened fire and the fight was on.

"Ashley, protect Dr. T'soni!" Shepard yelled, scooting to one side of the Krogan as he trampled past. The Chief nodded, planting herself firmly in front of where Liara crouched. Bullets impacted against her kinetic barrier, sending ripples of distortion blossoming over her torso. With expert precision, Williams downed several Geth with short sharp assault rifle bursts.

Confident that Liara was in good hands and Tali had her back, Lucy turned her attention to the battle-master. He was closing fast, this time blasting away with a shotgun as he came. The shots were inaccurate, but they forced the Spectre into cover behind a huge support beam. Trying to remain calm as the heavy footfalls pounded closer, Shepard began to swirl dark energy into her open palm, coagulating the roar psychic force into a visible orb of warped light. There was enough power contained in her hand to rip most creatures limb from limb.

Lucy slipped around the shadowy side of the pillar. The second it took the Krogan to spot her was more than enough to hurl the destructive orb at his exposed flank. A startled roar escaped his lips, but the attack proved less fatal than the Spectre had hoped. The battle master had managed to throw up a crude biotic shield that had just enough power to absorb the blast.

Shepard's composure slipped for a moment; she hadn't been expecting a Krogan biotic. They certainly existed, but were few and far between. It was a disturbing reminder of Saren's influence. No time to dwell on that now, though.

The battle-master roared another challenge, unleashing another salvo of shells. Lucy gave ground readily, keeping out of the weapons range. Perhaps if she could lure the Krogan in…a plan began to form in her mind. She kept backpedalling, her shields absorbing any rounds that happened to reach. It wasn't long before a shrill whine signalled that his gun had overheated. Discarding it in disgust, the Krogan continued to advance, biotics readying for a fatal shockwave. He was focused solely upon tearing the wiley human into meaty ribbons…perfect. With all his efforts focused on offence, he'd neglected his shield's strength.

Shepard swept her arms upwards, her own power surging forward and enveloping the surprised reptile in a mass-effect field. Suddenly lighter than air, the helpless warrior was borne aloft by his own momentum. Lucy grabbed him as he floated by like a grotesque balloon. Priming a Frisbee-shaped grenade, the Commander latched it firmly to the battle-masters armour.

Lucy grunted, thrusting the Krogan skywards. He flailed wildly, trying to remove the explosive, but it was too late. Shepard thumbed the detonator and was rewarded with a light shower of red mist...all that remained of the Krogan. She couldn't help but let out a whoop of victory which was echoed by Ashley as she gunned down the last Geth soldier.

"You two okay?" Lucy asked, offering Liara her hand.

"I am unhurt…and in your debt once again Commander," the Asari replied, gripping Shepard's hand tightly as she rose. A little…too tightly?

"There'll be time for tender moments later!" Ashley barked, temporarily forgetting the chain of command in her desire to escape the stony death-trap. Both women recoiled faster than a striking cobra; the moment was gone as if it had never existed.

Lucy regained her nerve first. "Alright, everybody get moving. We're getting the hell off this planet!"

* * *

Liara felt awed by this mysterious woman. The grace with which she wielded her power in combat would put many of her own kind to shame. Shepard made the entire, desperate struggle into a dance, one in which she out-competed all her rivals.

'Only an Asari mind could wield that much power so…elegantly,' the doctor thought as Lucy rolled more waves of energy off her fingertips. 'What if…what if she has joined in Union with another..?' Liara pondered. The thought hurt her much more that she'd expected, stabbing right through her heart.

'You're jumping to conclusions again.' This was crazy, she barely knew this woman. It was lack of sleep…yes, a lack of sleep, drink and food. Of course…that made sense.

The fighting had stopped. Lucy was striding in her direction, her ever-present smile beaming in her direction. She offered the Asari her hand which Liara accepted eagerly. It was so warm; her grip was strong without being tight. Her touch was distinctly…feminine, even through the skin-tight armour padding.

Liara could faintly sense the Commander's spirit, something of a surprise in itself. Asari philosophy was one of an inter-connected universe where it is possible, through meditation, to reach out and touch others, get a glimpse of their soul. If the Union was like immersing yourself in a bottomless lake, this was more akin to dabbling your toes. It hinted at their character without being invasive. The fact Liara could feel Shepard's presence without even focussing spoke volumes. It was so confusing…she needed time to think, alone.

* * *

Something was wrong. Ashley and Liara were already running for the exit shaft, but there was no sign of the Quarian. "Tali!" Lucy shouted desperately. No reply.

Ahead, the doctor and the Chief had slowed, beckoning to Shepard. "Go, get to safety! I'll catch you up!" Lucy would never forgive herself if she abandoned the young girl. She had to find her!"

"Tali, where are you!" she yelled again, shielding her eyes from the dust that was now falling in sheets from the roof.

"Sh...Shepard?" a weak voice sounded close by. Lucy fought her way through the choking air and was horrified by what she saw. The engineer was lying propped against the wall, surrounded by dead Geth. Her weapon lay discarded a few feet away from where the Quarian clutched at multiple wounds to her stomach. A bright red liquid flew freely from the numerous holes.

"Tali!" Lucy was at her friend's side immediately, fumbling with the catch on a vial of medigel. She'd seen her friends risk their lives plenty of times before but somehow this was different...not just because of the wounds severity. The spectre was surprised to find her self choking down a lump in her throat as she layered the salve copiously onto the young girl's belly, pressing it into the wounds as best she could. If something happened to her…don't think about that.

Tali raised a hand feebly and gripped Shepard's as tightly she could. "Don't leave me, Lucy…" she croaked, her voice choking with unseen tears.

"I never would Tali, I never ever would!" the Spectre replied, trying to force images of a flat-lining cardiogram from her mind.

Lucy lifted the barely conscious Quarian in her exoskeletal arms, and began staggering to the exit. The dust made it impossible to see if Liara and Ash had gone on ahead or waited for her.

"Lucy…" Tali whispered, her voice barely audible as she slipped into unconsciousness. "If I don't make it…there's something I…I…"

"You _will_ make it." the Spectre ordered, cutting the girl off...she didn't want to hear any last words today. Lucy could feel her own strength beginning to fail; the suit motors were too choked with dirt to work properly. Dredging up her last reserves of energy, Shepard summoned a weak biotic shield over the prone Quarian to keep the dirt from her wounds. Every fibre of her body was burning with the force of carrying her friend and maintaining the barrier. She felt ready to drop, ready just to collapse and let this blasted ruin become her tomb. It wasn't an option though, not as long as Tali still breathed.

Lucy felt rather than saw the two figures close in on either side. She was aware of her burden being lightened, and of a blue hand twining round her shoulders to aid her own unsteady legs. She returned the half-embrace that helped her stumble, coughing and choking from the doomed excavation. The sunlight pierced her lids, harsh and unforgiving, but also the most welcome sight imaginable. At that moment, Lucy would have accepted support from anyone...somewhere in her addled mind however, she felt glad it was Liara.


	2. Chapter 2: Sweet Dreams & Nightmares

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 2 – Sweet Dreams & Nightmares**

Dr. Liara T'soni thumbed the 'coffee' icon on the auto-dispenser. Within a few seconds, a disposable cup was delivered into her eager hands. She'd been wanting to try the concoction ever since hearing rumours of its stimulating powers. Now that there was finally a lull of activity and the mess was deserted, it seemed an appropriate time to try and familiarise herself with the human palette.

From the brief conversation she'd been able to snatch with Shepard, it sounded like they wanted her in for the duration. At first, the thought had been incredibly daunting. The ship was so confined, everywhere you went there were people bustling about on some urgent errand. It was precisely the kind of setting that made Liara uncomfortable, being expected to socialise and make new friends. Eventually though, her curiosity about human culture had overcome her anxiety.

Lifting the cup to her azure lips, she tentatively sipped at the creamy brown mixture. The intense temperature made her yelp, and she just managed to stop the coffee spilling all over the deck. Nibbling at her tongue to sooth the scalded taste-buds, Liara concluded it was best to wait until the drink had cooled slightly. The flavour she was able to discern was not unpleasant either, a little bit bitter for her taste, but not bad.

Rounding the bulkhead to the dining area, she realised that the mess wasn't actually deserted after all. Commander Shepard sat in the chair nearest the Medbay. She was slumped on the table, her golden hair fanned untidily across her arms which she used for a pillow. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically; she was evidently fast asleep.

Usually Liara would sit as far from anyone else as she could, but this time was different. The sleeping figure of Shepard…intrigued her. There was something mysterious and powerful hidden behind her kindly smile. Liara had sensed great unexplored depths when the Commander's spirit had brushed hers at the dig. It was enough to make the Asari actively seek her company, even if she was sleeping.

The doctor sat down opposite Lucy, carefully inching into her seat so as not to cause excessive noise. The ship was quiet, save for the faint sounds of medical equipment emanating from behind closed doors. Liara did not know the Quarian, but her wounds had seemed to physically hurt Shepard as if they had been her own. The Asari hoped that Tali would be alright. After all, she'd been injured whilst rescuing her.

Doctor Chakwas had informed everyone a few hours before that they had stabilized the young engineer and that her wounds were not fatal. Everyone had let out a relieved sigh and Commander Shepard had actually hugged the medical officer, much to everyone's surprise. Liara had felt moved by the obvious affection the whole crew had for the young girl, despite the fact she was not one of their own. It gave the scientist hope that she too may be accepted with time.

Liara sipped her coffee and thought about the woman in front of her. She traced the contours of Lucy's face with her crystal blue eyes. The spectre was strikingly beautiful, with her high cheek bones, dainty button nose and rich, slightly pursed lips. Her golden locks framed her face perfectly, even when disarranged from the day's traumatic events. Liara's gaze wandered to Shepard's bandaged shoulder, a testament to her selfless act. The Asari smiled, happy that Lucy could forget her hurt in the blissful calm of sleep. The spectre's expression, so recently furrowed with worry and fear, was now one of contentedness. Her mouth twitched in a faint smile that reminded Liara of the strong woman she'd seen earlier, fighting to save all their lives.

"Would she have been so generous had it been me who was hurt?" the doctor wondered aloud, before realising what she was doing.

"Yes…I would." Lucy murmured, her eyelids fluttering sleepily as she awoke.

"Oh Shepard…I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…I'll leave you in peace." Liara stammered as she quickly rose to go. Perhaps she could flush herself out the airlock before she did anything else stupid.

A hand gently gripped her arm as she tried to leave.

"Don't go." Lucy said quietly "I was hoping we'd get a chance to talk."

Liara turned back and nervously resumed her place opposite the spectre. She fidgeted with her fingers and avoided holding Lucy's gaze for long; she didn't want the Commander to think she was staring. Now that she actually had the chance to talk personally, it scared her. What would she say? Would the Commander think her boring…or childish…or too awkward? Nerves threatened to overwhelm the poor girl, but she managed to force them down into a dark corner of her mind. No doubt they'd explode out again later, but that would hopefully be in private.

"I'm gonna get some more coffee. You want some?" the spectre asked, waggling her own empty cup. Liara nodded, and downed the last dregs of her own. The intense taste of the residual sediment made her gag and she had to hold in the urge to spit the disgusting liquid all over the table. Note to self: don't ever, ever do that again

The spectre returned a minute later with two more scalding brews. She handed one to Liara, noticing the completely empty cup and the slight hue of her cheeks. Lucy chuckled on the inside, but resisted the impulse to good-naturedly tease the poor woman. She got the feeling the scientist wasn't too used to human vernacular.

As if reading her mind, the Asari began to express her fears.

"I…I'm not really used to dealing with your race Shepard." Liara was trying to articulate, "I know very little about your ways or your culture. I just…just wanted to ask you to excuse me if I accidentally say anything offensive or embarrassing."

"Of course," the spectre replied, laying a reassuring hand on the young maiden's shoulder, "I can only imagine how hard it must be for you, what with the Geth and Benezia and…everything."

"I still cannot comprehend what you have told me about her." Liara said, her eyes falling to stare at her drink. "Of course I believe you…I just cannot imagine what could have made her so...twisted."

"Do you…want to talk about it?" Lucy asked, leaning forward and continuing to softly squeeze the Asari's shoulder. Liara looked up and couldn't help but smile, the spectre seemed so understanding.

"Your concern means a lot to me Shepard," she said, risking a glance into the other woman's emerald eyes. "I am fine though…I have not spoken with Benezia in years."

The two drank for a short while in silence. Liara observed how Lucy kept glancing at the Medbay door, concern written all over her face. The Asari knew she should say something comforting, just as Shepard had said to her. She struggled to find the words, unsure of how best to alleviate the spectre's guilt.

"I am sure she is fine," Liara began, before pausing to reconsider. That was when she noticed how watery Lucy's eyes were. The spectre was trying to hide it, but the tears were on the verge of spilling over down her rosy cheeks. Liara was completely out of her depth, she didn't know whether to leave Shepard in peace or rush to her side. She did know that she must do something; the sight of Lucy in so much distress was almost more than she could bare.

'What would she do if out roles were reversed?' the doctor thought. There was no question about it. Liara slid from her seat and eased herself into the one next to Lucy. Her heart fluttered as she encircled the weeping spectre with one arm, hugging her as close as she dared.

"This is so unlike me." Shepard sniffled, "I…I don't want the crew to see me like this but sometimes…when you come so close to losing someone you…someone you…"

Her frame was wracked with new sobs and she forcefully returned Liara's embrace. It was a completely new feeling for the Asari; she hadn't been hugged for as long as she could remember. Now here was this woman she'd met less than a day ago pouring her heart down the doctors labcoat. Everything was happening so fast.

Eventually, Lucy took a few deep breaths and forced the tears back down.

"I'm sorry I put you through that Liara." the spectre said with a strained smile "Guess I'm just feeling the stress a bit more than usual."

Shepard broke off, her eyes running up and down the Asari maiden's body. Liara felt like it was another of her kind gazing at her; she felt the same emphatic brush across her soul, like a lingering caress. She wanted to speak but her temporary confidence was exhausted. Her stomach churned like a seething cauldron of witch's brew and she feared she may throw up if she dared open her mouth.

"Come on," Lucy said, beckoning the Asari towards the Medbay, "We've both been up far too long. There's a store room in here which you can call yours. It's not much, but it's a hell of a lot better than those uncomfortable sleeper pods."

Doctor Chakwas looked up as they entered. She smiled at the pair and nodded towards the bed where the prone form of Tali lay.

"She's going to be absolutely fine," the doctor said warmly, gesturing for them to step closer. "Her wounds were not as severe as they looked, she should be up and about in a few days."

Lucy realised she'd been holding her breath and exhaled slowly. She had already known Tali would live, but it was still a relief to see her resting so peacefully. Her characteristic smile returned, drawing a similar grin from Dr. Chakwas.

"Whatever would I do without you Doctor?" she exclaimed.

"Bleed to death on some godforsaken space rock most probably," came the deadpan reply, "Now then, what can I do for our young Prothean expert?"

"Liara would like a bit of solitude; I said she could use the spare bunk in the storage room."

Liara was stunned. She didn't recall ever expressing a wish to be on her own. It was as if the Commander knew what she wanted without the Asari even opening her mouth.

"I…that is, if it's not too much trouble." was all she could say.

* * *

Lucy felt the tiny waft of air as the door to Liara's 'quarters' slid shut behind her. It was just her and the doctor. now, plus the skeleton bridge crew. Her limbs felt like lead and her shoulder wound still throbbed a little.

"You know, despite what you may think, you're only human Commander," Chakwas spoke up teasingly. "You really should get some rest."

"Yeah…yeah I will, it's been a very long day." Lucy said, struggling to suppress a yawn. The thought of a military bunk had never been more appealing, anything to take the weight off aching legs. Besides, she needed time to process the emotions that swirled relentlessly in her mind.

She briefly paused next to Tali as she passed. Lucy was still unsure of what she felt when she thought of the young Quarian. It was some bizarre mix of emotions that should never come together, but somehow combined into something beautiful. For some reason she felt a strong desire to see the girl's real face, to see what she'd almost lost. Shepard bent over her unconscious friend, leaning in to see if she could catch a glimpse. There were blurry shapes that looked like eyes and a nose beneath the tinted visor, but it was hard to tell. Lucy's chest felt inexplicably tight, and she was heavily aware of her heart thumping violently against her ribcage.

As if it was the most natural thing in the world, she inched even closer, to the point where her breath steamed the glass. Her own brilliantly green eyes stared back, as if it was she who lay incapacitated. Lucy risked a glance at the doctor, but she was still focused on her terminal, engrossed in whatever she did to pass the time.

The spectre knew she should go. She should just up and leave right then and save herself from a potentially awkward situation later. Her mind willed her to stop what she was about to do, but it was as if someone who knew all her suppressed desires was controlling her movements. Rosy red lips brushed the surface of the Quarian's visor, gently at first but then with more resolve. Lucy planted a long, slow kiss on Tali's faceplate. It made no sense, why was she doing this? All Shepard knew was that she cared very deeply for the young engineer.

She quickly straightened as her sense re-asserted itself. Guiltily looking around, Lucy was relieved that neither Liara not Dr. Chakwas had seen her display of affection. A small, red lipstick mark was imprinted on Tali's 'face', there could be no doubt about how it got there. Shepard went to wipe it off, but thought better of it. Maybe the young girl would get the message, maybe she wouldn't. Either way, Lucy was completely unsure of what lay before her.

Without another word, she retired to her quarters. The room looked like any military residence...functional and devoid of personality. The world swam and blurred as she stripped off her uniform, discarding it in a crumpled mess on the floor. Physically exhausted and emotionally drained, Lucy flopped on her double bed and immediately sank into dreams of smooth blue skin, and eyes hidden by frosted glass.

* * *

The next week was incredibly frantic and left little time for any business of a personal nature. It seemed that once news of the Normandy's exploits had leaked into certain circles, everyone was desperate to get a slice of the pie. The System's alliance had contacted the spectre three times to ask for her help in resolving various matters. Lucy had naturally agreed, although it did feel like every second they spent hunting down privateers, Saren slipped further and further away. At long last, seven days after they'd rescued Liara, the Commander finally had a chance to catch her breath.

* * *

Lucy Shepard sat at a cramped desk in the captain's private quarters. Her eyes were sore and bloodshot from too much time in front of the computer screen. She'd never really appreciated quite how much office work was involved in policing an entire galaxy. One would think someone above the law would be free of red-tape. It was true that she could act as she saw fit, the catch was that she had to justify her actions to the council afterwards. While it wasn't strictly necessary, the councillors had made it quite clear that as the first human spectre, Lucy was expected to be as pristine as possible. That meant obeying all the pinickty little rules that other spectres walked all over.

The Commander reclined into the chair, head lolling backwards against her shoulders. It was definitely turning in time; her shift had ended two hours ago. Closing down the laptop, she was about to undress when a beep indicated that someone was waiting outside. Who on earth would want to talk to her at this hour? The fact they did, meant it was most probably something vitally important. With a stressed exhalation, she pulled her crew shirt back over her head, straightened it out and went to answer the door.

It was the last person she was expecting to see. The door slip open to reveal the curvaceous form of Tali, just recently released back to active duty. Shepard could not see her face, as always, but it was clearly evident in her body language that something was troubling her.

"Tali," the spectre said warmly, gesturing her inside "What's wrong? Your shift ended four hours ago."

The young Quarian took a moment to collect herself.

"That's the problem," she said sadly, her eyes downcast inside the helmet "I've been trying to get to sleep all that time, but...I just can't. This ship is so quiet, I'm not used to it."

"You never mentioned this before." Lucy said, taking a seat and nodding to indicate that Tali could do the same. The engineer pulled up a stool, her forwards bending knees were ill suited for human chairs.

"I know," Tali continued with a subdued tone "At first it was all such an adventure...I'm doing something unlike any of our people have done before, it was hard not to get swept along. Now though…after what happened…it made me realise that it's not all excitement. I guess it sort of...shook me up a little bit."

"I understand," Shepard said, thinking of how she'd felt in those first few months "You're homesick, I was just the same when I was your age…at least, I…how old are you exactly?"

"We Quarians measure time differently from your people," Tali explained "I'm not sure exactly, but I'd guess I'm about nineteen years by your standard."

Lucy let out a quiet whistle of surprise "That's awfully young…too young for a girl to be cast out to fend for herself."

"I'm not a child!" the engineer said with mock indignation "But you are right, the Pilgrimage can get lonely. Back on the Flotilla, I couldn't wait to set off and explore the galaxy. Now that I'm out here though…I kind of miss it. Life is hard, but that only makes you closer to your family…I didn't really appreciate that until now."

Lucy took Tali's hand in hers, squeezing it tightly. More than anything, she wanted to remind the Quarian that she was not alone…that she was still close to people who cared for her. The spectre was uncertain of what to do, she didn't know Tali's feelings and she sure as hell didn't know her own.

"You know…" she began, exerting her will to forcibly stop her voice from trembling "If you can't sleep…maybe you'd like to…to bunk in here, with me tonight. It's a lot more comfortable and maybe having someone else there might...you know, help you drift off. That is…if you don't mind."

Beneath her visor, Tali's face had lit up like a lightbulb.

"You're serious…you really mean it?" the feisty girl suddenly found herself totally lost for anything to say.

"Of course I am," Shepard replied, sunning the Quarian with a toothy smile "It's a double, so there's plenty of room. I guess you have to keep your suit on though."

"Yes, sadly I must wear it constantly to prevent the risk of infection…I wish there was an easier way, these things get so sweaty and uncomfortable sometimes."

Lucy was about to speak, but a mighty yawn stifled the words from her mouth. She took that as her cue to retreat to the small en suite to get changed. Behind the locked door she took a long hard look at herself in the mirror. She had to be sure she was doing it for the right reasons.

'This girl is distressed and needs my help.' the Commander told herself sternly 'this is completely innocent, simply a favour for a friend in need. That's all. End of.'

Not for the first time, Shepard's thoughts wandered to Liara. She wished she possessed the empathic powers of the young Asari. Lucy longed to know Tali's mind, what was running through her head. Did she look to Shepard as a friend, or a mother figure? What if she wanted something more? Was Lucy giving the girl false hope? Was it even 'false' at all, what did she feel towards the young Quarian?

The spectre splashed her face with freezing cold water. She needed to sober up. Nothing was going to happen, just sleep and rest…she needed time to think.

'You've had a week to think!' her devils advocate piped up 'The truth is, you're confused, torn and guilty. You're too scared to admit what you feel, so you cover it up with excuses.'

Lucy splashed another handful of icy water onto her rapidly heating skin. She was over analyzing everything; she should just sit back and see what hand life dealt her.

Exiting the cramped toilet, the spectre was surprised to see the girl still hovering in the middle of the room. The young engineer had seemed dead on her feet with fatigue, but she still seemed to be waiting for something.

"What's wrong Tali?" she asked, padding barefoot over to the Quarian.

"Well…where's your bed Shepard?" she asked, glancing around with thinly veiled curiosity.

"I don't understand," the spectre said, confused "It's right there."

"You sleep horizontally?" Tali seemed bewildered.

"Well, that is the good, old-fashioned way we did it before s-pods, yeah."

Tali paced over to the mattress and sat down. She seemed surprised by the amount of give in the springy padding, looking at it with alarm as if it might engulf her. Glancing at Shepard, it was obvious she didn't know what to do.

"Here…let me help." Lucy said, feeling rather silly. Folding back the covers, she guided Tali's two toed feet underneath. She then did the same to her head, gently lowering it onto the fluffy pillow. The Quarian wriggled a bit until she was lying on her side, facing the empty bed space. Her shoulders snuggled down into the soft folds of the mattress.

"Wow! I never thought it would be so comfortable." she sighed, clutching the quilt over herself. Lucy couldn't help but chuckle, the whole scene was pretty ridiculous if she'd stopped to think about it. Thankfully, she didn't, or she may have opted out. Instead, the spectre slid into the other side of the double-bed, finding herself face to 'face' with Tali. Giving the girl an awkward smile, Lucy slid her finger across the dimmer strip, and the room lights were extinguished.

"Goodnight Tali." the Commander whispered, closing her own eyes and relaxing all tension in her body.

"Goodnight," the Quarian replied, before adding "Thank you Shepard, you're such a good friend."

Friend.

Friend?

Had Lucy been misinterpreting the signals all along? Was she inventing signals where there weren't any? The thoughts spiralled through her brain, leaving no room for sleep. The spectre lay there awake, feeling the rise and fall of the Quarian's light breathing beside her. It wasn't fair…why did everything have to be so complex?

'I guess that comes with being a soldier.' she thought bitterly.

* * *

It had been two hours, and Lucy was still no closer to rest. It seemed Tali's sleeplessness had passed to her. Maybe she could talk to Dr. Chakwas; she was the closest thing the ship had to a councillor. At the very least, she may have some sleeping pills. Problem was, there was no way to get up without rousing her bed-mate. The young girl had finally found peace; Shepard was loathed to disturb her just to make herself feel better.

Sinking back to the sweaty pillow, Lucy tried to clear her head of all emotional thought. She pictured the Medbay, trying to recall all the little details. Hopefully, thinking of something neutral might finally allow her mind to relax.

Unexpectedly, her mind's eye continued through the Medbay and into the room beyond. There was no light, save for the glow of a computer monitor. Liara lay tucked up in her camp bed, one graceful blue arm dangling from beneath the covers. It looked ghostly pale in the polarised glow that illuminated the Asari's sleeping form. Her mouth was slightly ajar, revealing neat rows of perfectly white teeth. The virtual Shepard drew closer as she imagined what it might be like to kiss those soft, moist lips.

Liara's eyes jerked open with sudden wakefulness. The once crystal blue irises were now pitch black, as bottomless as the crushing depths of dark space. A timeless gaze fell upon the Commander, simultaneously beautiful and terrifying. Lucy recoiled her thoughts, forcing the haunting image from her mind. Somehow, she knew that what she'd seen was no flight of fancy. It was impossible to explain, but the scene had definitely felt real...as if she'd actually been with Liara just a few second earlier.

The vision had shaken Shepard badly. She could feel sweat trickling across her skin, the image of those eyes still fresh on her retinas. It hadn't been scary in a malevolent sense. No, it was more a feeling of overwhelming love and desire. Lucy resolved to try and enquire about it the next time she had an alone moment with Liara.

What happened next would live with the Commander for the rest of her life. She felt the most feather-light touch imaginable softly glide across her cheek. The spectre tensed; unable to tell if she'd really felt anything. Maybe it was her imagination, a ghost sense from her thoughts about the Asari.

Lucy was just about to write it off when she felt it again. There was no doubting it now, although the touch remained soft. A fingertip tenderly stroked the length of her cheek-bone, before continuing on to brush a loose golden strand from the spectre's face. Shepard remained still, unconsciously continuing the slow breathing indicative of someone deeply asleep. She feared if she reacted, the moment might end…and she wanted it to continue. Her eyes were open, but in the complete blackness she could see nothing.

A palm cupped her chin, a distinctive three fingers brushing the sensitive skin of her throat. Lucy forced herself to breathe normally, and hoped her massive increase in heart rate was not as obvious as it felt. The hand left her skin, although it still tingled at the point of contact.

A single finger returned, this time caressing the spectre's velvety lips. It parted them ever so slightly to tickle the more sensitive flesh deeper inside. Lucy could feel that it was not bare skin probing her mouth, but a smooth, rubbery fabric.

The diminutive form of Tali shifted minutely beside her. All Shepard could do was wait to see what would come next. Before long, the Quarian had slid as close to the spectre as she dared. Agonizing seconds passed, and Lucy could almost hear the younger girls mind racing. She felt a rush of empathy as she realised Tali too was fighting a furious inner battle. The Commander longed to tell her it was okay but words would not come.

Tali timidly lifted a shapely thigh beneath the covers. The young Quarian was so close; Lucy could easily feel the deep, steadying breaths she took. Then, she gingerly lowered it onto the spectre, entwining herself against the stunned woman. Shepard was awed by the intense heat that flushed Tali's body, and the magical feeling of the engineer snuggling up as close as she could. The Commander's skin tingled where the warm exhalation from the girl's air-filter danced across her neck. Despite everything, this moment was perfect.

"Oh Shepard…" the Quarian whispered, her voice filled with undisguised longing.

Lucy held her breath, straining to hear the girl's voice over the roaring of her own pulse. The spectre's face was so flushed it actually hurt.

"I know you can't hear me…" Tali continued, her tinny pitch cracking with emotion "But I want you to know that I...I would do anything for you. Lying here, now…it means everything to me."

Shepard's mind reeled with the weight of the Quarian's words. She never would have dreamed in a million years that Tali thought so much of her. What had she ever done to deserve such adoration? No matter, she couldn't let this slide. If nothing else, the thought of Tali going through the same conflict as she herself was experiencing was enough to spur the spectre into action.

Lucy could feel the engineer's palm resting lightly on her hip. Slowly and deliberately, she slid her own hand underneath the covers, and interlaced Tali's fingers with her own. She squeezed the girls hand for emphasis, making sure it was clear what she was doing. Beneath her grip, Tali froze completely stiff. Pure terror locked all the muscles in her body at the realisation that she'd been discovered. Lucy could feel the Quarian's body trembling all over, the sensation sending shivers down her own spine. Long...seconds...dragged...by. Eventually, Tali broke the agonizing silence.

"I…I…I…" was all she could manage as she fumbled to back away from Shepard.

"Tali…" Lucy croaked, her throat suddenly dry "It's okay."

With those simple words of acceptance, the Commander encircled the young girl in her arms. Lifting her curvaceous frame from the bed, the spectre planted a tentative kiss on Tali's mouthpiece. It was hard and metal, but warm as the young girl's moist breath filtered through. The Quarian was too stunned to do anything but limply soak it all in as Lucy kissed her again and again.

However, the small scrap of sense she had left forced her to stop. While there was no doubt her 'friend' wanted more, Lucy knew she wasn't ready. Tali was still shaking uncontrollably, the only indication of the tempest that seethed within her. With a heart-wrenching effort that took every ounce of willpower she possessed, the Commander backed down.

"This is all too fast," she husked raggedly "We need time…time to...think things through."

Shepard picked her next words very carefully.

"I am _very_ interested in you Tali…but neither of us are ready just yet. We'll talk more in…in the morning."

Lucy was just able to see the tiny nod the engineer gave by way of an answer. The girl's hands were clamped sharply over her mouth, as if she could still not quite believe what had just happened.

The spectre patted the space right next to her. Still in stunned silence, Tali crawled closer until the two were once more cuddled together. Lucy was reminded of two little love-birds which had shared a nest in her parent's garden, all those years ago. As a child, she'd fed them little scraps of bread whenever her family ate out in the garden, and had watched with childish glee as the couple shared the morsels equally. Back then, that was what love was to her...someone you were willing to share your bread with.

Cradled in each other's arms, sleep finally claimed the pair of them.


	3. Chapter 3: Confusion

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 3 - Confusion**

Commander Lucy Shepard disembarked from the Mako with a sickly squelch. The ground beneath her boots was soggy with mud and dead-leaf detritus. Welcome to Verdus.

"Well, we won't be taking that anywhere for a while." A familiar Turian voice said as its owner also slid from the tank. Garrus Vakarian set about checking his equipment, making more metallic noises than were strictly necessary.

Their vehicle was partially burrowed into the mushy soil. The descent angle from the Normandy had been steep to accommodate for the lack of open space to aim for. As a result, the Mako had ploughed itself a deep rut as it skidded to a halt.

"We should be able to free it with the thrusters." Lucy commented as Liara, the final member of her squad, picked her way through the mud towards them.

"The distress signal is about fifty metres to the North," Lucy explained when they were all present "Our scans indicate it's emanating from a small Prothean outpost."

"Who'd want to come here?" Garrus asked, looking sullenly at the overhanging tree canopy. For such a dense rainforest, it was eerily quiet with only the occasional animal call to break the silence.

"I don't know," Lucy admitted "but the distress signal was on a standard Alliance frequency. Whoever they are, and whatever they're doing, they need our help."

"I never heard mention of a Prothean presence on this world." Liara chimed in "It is likely to only be a small outpost, installed so scientists could monitor the developing ecosystem."

"That means it's going to be well hidden." Garrus said, his mandibles twitching slightly with anticipation.

"Right..." Lucy said, un-slinging her assault rifle "Liara with me. Garrus, you hang back with the sniper. I don't anticipate trouble, but it never hurts to be prepared."

Liara glanced nervously at the pistol she held. It felt strange and unsettling between her slender blue digits.

"Let's just hope I don't have to try and use this." she murmured, before setting off at a jog behind Shepard.

As the group advanced, the foliage became denser. Lucy went first, using her superior mechanical strength to force aside the clinging feelers and shrubs. Liara came behind, practicing lining up shots on nearby trees. It was very dingy, with only dappled patches of illumination to navigate by. Eventually though, the trio came to the edge of a sunbathed clearing.

Caked in mud and chlorophyll stains, Lucy and Liara struggled from the last plant vestiges that desperately clung to their legs and cautiously approached the structure that dominated the open ground. The stonework was barely visible under the masses of plants that had rushed in to reclaim the abandoned outpost. Shepard motioned for Garrus to remain in cover, completely invisible, save for the glint of his sniper scope.

The signal was strong now; Lucy could see the nav-marker indicating its location on her helmet HUD. It was coming from within the crumbling Prothean ruin.

"I've come across structures like this one before," Liara said, eyeing the weathered masonry with a mixture of awe and fear. "I should be able to remember the internal layout...if that would be useful to you Commander."

"You're not one of the crew, call be Lucy, or Shepard," the spectre replied, a smile creasing her lips as the focused down her sights.

"Sorry...Lucy" the Asari said, feeling an inordinate rush of pleasure at being granted first-name privileges.

Shepard approached the door. Unlike the rest of the structure, it had been cleared of invading vines. Someone had definitely been here.

"I've got a bad feeling about this." she muttered to nobody in particular. Just to be on the safe side, she willed her biotic implants into life. Pulsing ripples of energy danced microscopically across her skin. To the right, she felt her Asari friend powering up as well.

The spectre tried the control panel. Locked.

"Liara," she said in a hushed tone "Do you think you can bypass this lock?"

"The controls are familiar..." said the Asari, gently guiding the Commander aside to get a closer look.

That was when all hell broke loose...

* * *

Liara knew she'd made a terrible mistake even as her fingers punched in the last digits to open the door. With a grinding rumble of stone on stone, the doorway opened to reveal row upon row of dragon's teeth topped with gruesome Geth Husks. For the briefest of seconds, nothing happened. Then, with a grating screech, the spikes and their grisly kebabs descended.

At her side, Lucy had already opened fire. Streaks of intense heat blazed through the entrance as the inferno rounds tore into the shambling undead. Behind, the muted report of Garrus' sniper rifle sounded and one Husk's head simply disappeared in an explosion of coolant.

"Get back!" Shepard yelled, still managing to be somewhat gentle as she grabbed Liara's arm and pulled her away. The spectre's rifle had overheated, and she was busy readying for a biotic blast. Energy pooled over her body, rippling the air like a powerful electric storm. The Commander did not unleash; instead she let it continue to build up. There was enough dark energy jolting through the spectre to boil the blood in her veins.

"You're going to kill yourself," Liara cried, panicking in the heat of the moment "Let it go!"

"I'm...fine," Lucy lied through a clenched jaw, "Cover...me!"

The young Asari was unsure of Shepard's intentions, but she trusted the woman enough to leave her be. Ahead, the cyborgs were charging forward, oblivious to casualties inflicted by the Turian sniper. Withered feet trampled over the bodies of their fallen.

Liara didn't have time to ready her own biotics. Instead, she levelled her pistol as best she could, braced herself, and began to squeeze the trigger as fast as possible. Lucy had given the scientist a recoil-damper, but the kickback still took her by surprise. Struggling to control the sidearm, the Asari unloaded into the oncoming wave of flesh. More Husks fell, this time shredded by high-calibre hammerhead rounds. Liara tried to avoid looking too closely as the bullets ripped football sized holes in the cyborgs, coating the verdant ground with grimy arterial spray.

Lucy was ready. Her body convulsed with such untamed power that she actually hovered a few centimetres above the floor. The motors of her armour screeched as they struggled to prevent the spectre's joints popping apart. Lucy threw out her hand and dark energy surged forward like a deadly waterfall. The torrent sped past the charging Husks as they struggled to cram through the doorway. It impacted on the far wall and blossomed outwards, saturating the entire building.

Commander Shepard made a wrenching motion with her free hand, and the ruins collapsed. Rock smashed inwards, drawn inexplicably towards a central point. The destruction threw up plumes of dust and less savoury fluids as the assimilated science team was pounded into the dirt. By the time Lucy was done, nothing but pulverised stone and metal remained.

Liara simply stood there gaping. The image of Lucy, wreathed in dark energy and tempestuous might more resembled a vision of the Asari Goddess than the friendly, kind-hearted woman she knew. Such biotic power was unprecedented, even amongst her own kind.

The corona faded from the spectres body, and she fell heavily to the ground. Liara was immediately at her side, helping the drained woman to her feet.

"I...you...they..." she babbled, words deserting her altogether "That was...incredible...you're incredible!"

Garrus was sprinting from his hidey hole. His wide eyes and quivering mandibles betrayed his admiration.

"It was a trap!" he almost spat "The Geth set us up!

"He's right..." Lucy wheezed, wincing with unseen pain "There will be more, we have...we have to move...back to the trees."

Accepting an arm from Garrus and Liara, Shepard stumbled back towards the cover of the foliage. The doctor could tell the effort of containing so much dark energy had severely cost the Commander. Her normally rosy cheeks were pale, and her captivating green eyes had glazed over. The Asari reached out to Lucy's spirit as much as she dared, silently willing strength into her friend.

The trio crashed back into the dense undergrowth and collapsed heavily onto the mud.

"Are you okay Co...Lucy?" Liara asked. Her voice wasn't powerful enough to express the concern she felt. Instead, the Asari brushed a velvety smooth palm across Shepard's cheek. The moment was enchanting, but she felt incredibly self-conscious, and hastily ended the touch with a stroke of the fingertips that conveyed more than mere worry. Where her hand had been, the spectre's cheek had now returned to its original rosy hue.

"I'm...I'm fine..." Lucy stuttered between fresh gulps of air.

Garrus grabbed her hand and unceremoniously yanked her upright. A way off, bright beams of light pierced the darkness. They were arranged in a rough line and swept the ground in front of them with methodical precision. It looked like the Geth had already zeroed in on the disturbance

"On my mark, advance to the Mako," Shepard whispered, not trusting herself to move just yet. "Keep low and don't stop for any reason...even if someone falls behind."

The other two nodded grimly, determined faces masking barely restrained apprehension. Lucy held up three fingers, motioning with her head which direction they'd come in.

Three...

Two...

One...

The squad set off at a crouched run. It was impossible to see them in the dim light, surrounded by shrubbery as they were. It was definitely possible to hear them however; the rustling of branches and snapping of twigs seemed obscenely loud in the still jungle air.

Searching Geth eye-lights still scanned the darkness, casting eerie shadows whenever a tree broke up their field of view. Liara could faintly hear their agitated clicks and whirrs. The whole atmosphere was disorientating, it became harder and harder to know if she was heading in the right direction. The sound of her comrades' motion could have been coming from anywhere. Where were they?

Her preoccupied thought meant that Liara didn't see the protruding root until it was too late. Her foot caught underneath it and caused her to stumble. Desperately muffling a cry, she impacted the ground with a soft splat. Searing pain shot up her leg, nearly forcing a strained cry from her parched throat. She was no doctor of medicine, but it was clear that her ankle was twisted. Agony seared from every nerve in her leg, intensified by the realization that no one was there to help her. That was what Shepard had said.

'Don't stop for any reason.'

The dry rattle of dead leaves crunched underfoot emanated from nearby. Liara couldn't focus with the pain, couldn't raise a biotic shield to defend herself. Her hand went to her only option, the pistol.

It would be no use to defend herself with. She could barely aim, even without an injury to contend with, besides, there were just too many Geth. Just about all it was good for now, was taking here own life. Anything was better than being dragged off to Saren, being tortured and forced to betray those she held dear.

A figure emerged from the undergrowth nearby. Relief flooded Liara's body as she recognized Lucy.

"Oh...oh thank you Goddess, thank you!" she whispered as the spectre scuttled over.

"Liara...Liara we have to go!" Lucy said, panic drowning out her sympathy.

"I...my ankle is injured, I...I'm sorry." the Asari replied, gritting her teeth against fresh waves of fiery pain.

Shepard withdrew a combat knife from some unseen sheath. Within seconds, Liara had been cut free. Lucy simply dropped the weapon and scooped the incapacitated maiden off the leaf bed. She slung her over her shoulder, being as careful as possible to avoid touching the Asari's injury.

Stealth was pointless now. The Geth were practically on top of them, any second now the pair would be discovered.

"I've got no biotics," the spectre hissed "Do you think you can throw up a barrier."

Liara nodded, then realized Lucy couldn't see her head.

"I can try…" she muttered, beginning the focusing exercises in her mind. The pain had lessened slightly once the pressure had been taken off her ankle, making it easier to concentrate.

A pulsing blue disk of energy shimmered into life between Shepard and the approaching synthetics. At the same time, the Commander started sprinting as fast as she could. Motors whirred as she was propelled at an inhumanly fast pace over the lush jungle floor.

"I was so worried," Liara confessed as they ran "After what you said I…I feared you would not return for me."

"Yeah well, that kind of thing is easy to say," Lucy growled "It's much harder to do...I could never leave you behind Liara."

What did she mean by that?

Never mind, now was not the time for personal speculation. They were nearly there; Liara could just about make out an upside down image of the Mako through the dense foliage. It was difficult to tell, she was being jostled about like a rag-doll despite Lucy's best efforts. A brief break in the cluttered tree trunks revealed the vehicle ahead, still rutted in the sodden earth.

By this time, the Geth had let loose. Their firing arcs and manoeuvrability were severely hampered by the trees, as long as they stayed at this distance, there was no threat. The few bullets that did find their way were deflected harmlessly by the Asari's biotic barrier. Liara allowed herself a moment of exalted pride...it looked like they were going to make it.

Unfortunately, she'd spoken too soon. Shepard was no more than twenty metres from the Mako when a wave of force ripped her legs from beneath her. For a panicked second, the two were in freefall. Then they bit dirt. The impact sent new surges of agony from Liara's sprained ankle, this time she couldn't hold back a cry of pain.

Lucy was already struggling to her feet. Caked in mud and grime, the spectre defiantly raised her assault rifle at the encroaching enemy. Even in the face of imminent danger, her eyes were drawn downwards. Liara could not-did not want to avoid the gaze of stormy sapphire. She could see the determination in those eyes; she felt it, deep down. It was scary, overbearing and totally exhilarating.

"We're not done yet Liara," Lucy said, her soft voice tinged with steel. "The only way they'll get to you is through my lifeless corpse...and I don't intend to die any time soon."

With those words, Shepard planted her legs squarely either side of the overwhelmed doctor, and opened fire. Blazing red trails mowed down several surprised Geth before they could even react. The ferocity of the Commander appeared to startle the synthetics, but their mechanical minds were quick to respond. Before long, more and more gunfire found was hitting home.

Lucy wouldn't last long. She was outnumbered, outgunned and rooted to the spot by stubborn refusal to abandon her friend. It was time for some more creative thinking.

Shepard remembered a certain, desperate manoeuvre she'd pulled on Therum. Something similar may just work here. Unfortunately, the spectre's biotics were all but drained from their overuse earlier. She had just enough power for one last idea.

Focusing her will tightly, forcibly ignoring the audio warnings that her shields were about to fall, she reached out with a tendril of energy and lassoed a branch behind her adversaries. A slight push later, and it was coiled back on itself. The limb quivered with elastic tension...perfect.

Upon release, the branch sprung forward with enough force to wind an elephant. It slapped an unlucky Geth square in the back and sent it sprawling forward. Lucy was there immediately, drawing back her arms for a mighty lunge. With all the strength she could manage, the Commander forcibly rammed her assault rifle into the synthetic's stomach...and right out the other side.

The Geth trooper chirped in surprise before falling still, impaled on Shepard's gun. Lucy hefted the cumbersome body between herself and the direction of attack. It soaked up enemy rounds like a sponge but left the spectre free to return fire, albeit inaccurately. She limited herself to short, controlled bursts, and managed to down a few more robots. She still had not moved more than a foot from Liara.

The Asari was too transfixed to feel helpless. This beautiful woman was one surprise after another. The intensity with which she fought was exhausting to watch.

'Goddess...' she whispered, afraid that Lucy may hear 'I would give anything for her to be mine...'

Liara's sentiment surprised even her. It was true that the Commander had fascinated her immensely since the moment they'd met. The Asari had instant respect for the spectre, a feeling which had only grown in the short time they'd been together. Lucy's spirit was so tender, so rich. And those eyes...Liara could wander forever in their brilliant depths.

Before her thoughts could continue further, the daydream was shattered by a crystal clear voice that easily sounded over the din of battle.

"Enough!" it cried, in a tone that froze every muscle of Liara's body with ice cold dread. She knew it all too well.

Suddenly there were hands round her throat. The maiden looked down, only to see nothing but the familiar midnight blue of biotic power. Tendrils of the energy pressed forcefully against her windpipe, encircling the Asari's slender, blue neck. With a tug, the strangulating force hoisted the helpless woman into the air.

Liara tried calling for help. Lucy was just metres away, finishing off the last of the Geth. Nothing but a strangled gasp left her throat, however. Desperately, she clawed at the grip, both physically and mentally with her own power. No use, it was an inescapable vice.

By this time, Shepard had realised something was wrong. She'd heard the voice too, and immediately glanced back to where the doctor had lain a few moments previously. When the spectre saw Liara writhing in mid-air, she half-screamed with alarm. The sound almost broke the maiden's heart...she'd sooner die than hear Shepard in such pain ever again.

"Surrender _spectre_," the voice spat venomously "Or I'll crush the life from your little pet."

Lucy considered for less than a second before discarding her weapon.

"I'll come quietly!" she cried into the surrounding woods, not bothering to hide the anger she felt "I'll surrender, just put Liara down!"

A sinister chuckle rolled around the jungle as a black-clad figure stepped into a pool of light. There was not a single scrap of mud on Matriarch Benezia's skirt, even the plants feared to touch her.

"As you wish." she sneered, and released her limp daughter to a bone-shattering fall.

* * *

Garrus peered through his sniper scope from the shadowy recesses of the Mako's interior. He'd known something was wrong when neither Lucy nor Liara made it back. The Turain had been prepping their APC for extraction when the first gunshots sounded. Now, his allies were captured by Saren's forces. Garrus cursed his incompetence. He should have been more alert, should have reacted sooner.

The chillingly beautiful face of the Matriarch filled his crosshair. It would be so simple just to pull the trigger. One shot was all it would take...Saren's plans would be crippled. Just think how many lives he could save. Deep down however, he knew the second that shot was fired, the Geth reinforcements would slaughter the two trapped women.

The past Garrus would have done it without hesitation. It was a good trade...two lives for countless thousands further down the line. The new Garrus however, would not. Shepard had taught him many things, forced the hot-headed youngster to re-examine his notions of what made a good peacekeeper. If he killed Benezia, he'd be no better than the traitorous bastard they were hunting.

Instead, he just observed. Right now, secrecy was the only edge he had...it was vital to maintain it for as long as possible. Torturously, he sat by and watched as his friends were frozen in stasis by the powerful Asari and dragged away; this had better pay off. The envoy was proceeding on foot; chances were good that the Geth had a camp not too far from here. Silently, the Turian slipped from the Mako and stalked after the oblivious synthetics.

* * *

Lucy was forced into consciousness by the most skull-splitting headache she'd ever known. White hot agony seared through her brain, concentrating around the back of her neck. For several minutes, all she could do was desperately fight to stop herself blacking out again. With the small fragment of her mind that could still think clearly, she tried to address the problem. She knew something was causing it...something to do with...

Of course, her biotic implant! Shepard had conjured a biotic lift to prevent Liara from splattering on the ground. The force of using such a major ability must have burnt-out the already damaged microcircuit. Is she...could...just...

A pair of trembling hands brushed against the base of her skull. They clumsily parted her golden locks and went to the tiny metallic hole that housed the implant. A few seconds later, it slid free from its cradle.

Lucy's headache disappeared almost at once. Obviously, she was now without any powers...but at that moment it was a small price to pay.

"Are you hurt Shepard...please tell me you're all right!" said a familiar, breathless voice.

The Commander managed to force herself over onto her back. She gave a relieved grin as the lightly freckled face of Liara materialised above.

"I'm all right," Lucy smiled "Thank you..."

The spectre shuffled to an upright sitting position against a cold metallic wall. They were in a barren holding cell that looked a lot like a converted shipping crate, apparently the Geth were operating on a low budget. Never the less, the synthetics had taken the usual precautions. Both women had been stripped of their weapons and a power damping field suppressed the use of biotics, as well as Shepard's exoskeleton.

Absent mindedly, and from sheer exhaustion, Lucy draped an aching arm around her Asari friend. To her great surprise, Liara shuffled up to the Commander and rested her crested blue head on the spectre's shoulder. It was at that moment that it occurred to Lucy what this girl must be going through...Benezia was her mother and only known relation. If she needed a shoulder to cry on, Shepard was only too glad to let it be hers.

"What you did...back there," the maiden whispered, hugging her knees to her chest "You saved us all...saved me. I'm in your debt once again Shepard; how will I ever repay you for all the kindness you have shown me?"

Lucy honestly had no answer for that question.

"I'm sorry Liara..." she whispered, just as softly "I should never have dragged you into this. You're not a soldier...and now with Benezia...what was I thinking?"

This time, the Asari did start weeping. Sobs brought little pained cries to her throat, like the plaintive call of some lost animal. Thick pearly tears leaked down the maiden's cheeks, leaving shining trails on her flawless blue skin.

Lucy gathered Liara into a firm embrace, clinging possessively to the Prothean scientist. The doctor buried her face into the Commander's shoulder and continued to cry, shaking uncontrollably. Her arms had already encircled Lucy's waist, which she gripped with fierce desperation.

Minutes passed before the Asari managed to choke back her emotional stream. Gradually, the tears subsided and were replaced by faint whimpers. She remained curled on the spectre's lap, reluctant to conclude the heart-warming hug.

"I do not know why I should feel so distressed," she murmured eventually. "I have not seen B-B-Benezia for so long...yet I feel her betrayal as if she still kissed me goodnight."

Lucy shifted her arms to cradle Liara's head. Just like her cheeks, the Asari's contoured crests had flooded with deep purple as the maiden blushed. Not for the first time, Shepard felt a guilty tug at her heartstrings...Liara was painfully adorable.

"I don't pretend to understand what you're going through," Lucy soothed, tracing delicate fingertips along each windswept blue ridge, "But I can relate...I lost my parents too, when I was very small."

"Oh Shepard! I'm so sorry...I-I didn't..."

"Don't be." the Commander cut her off "I've put all that behind me...it still hurts sometimes, but I've got it under control."

More lazy minutes passed. There was no sound, nothing to indicate the passage of time in any way. The two women sat there, still softly twined together. Lucy thought she could feel the Asari gently nuzzling at her neck, although the motion was imperceptibly soft.

"You know Liara," she said after a long, long time "I dreamt about you last night..."

The Asari's lilac skin flushed a slightly deeper shade of azure.

"I...I-I don't really know what to say." she said breathlessly. Liara shifted her body minutely, she was afraid the rampaging beat of her heart would betray her more intimate feelings.

"I was in your room," Lucy began, not quite managing to suppress the slight embarrassments she also felt "and I was, er...looking at you."

Liara peeped up from her nestling place in the curve of Shepard's neck. The spectre was staring fixatedly at a point on the far wall, trying to hide the redness that crept up her cheeks. After an awkward second, she continued.

"Well...um, you woke up all of a sudden...like you'd had a really intense dream. You were breathing heavily and...and you opened your eyes, only...they weren't _your_ eyes. They were pitch black...like when we melded after Therum."

It was impossible to miss Liara's sharp intake of breath.

"That was you..." the doctor said with hushed reverence "I-I remember that night too. I also dreamt...I-I saw you, for the briefest of moments...above me. This is all so surprising. From what you have told me, it sounds like we dream-joined."

Liara had to bite back her tongue to stop the rest gushing out. Amongst her people, dream-joining was a common experience...but only between couples who had already entered Union. The concept of it occurring between an un-paired couple was unheard of; it existed solely in the realm of trashy romance novels. It was the kind of thing wistful maiden's fantasized of...not dissimilar to 'love at first sight' between humans. Many people wished it were true, but in reality that was all it was; wishful thinking.

The Asari also failed to mention exactly what she'd been dreaming of before hand. At that moment, she was thankful she couldn't blush any more that she already was.

"Dream-joining...I've never heard of that before." Lucy was saying. Liara forced her romantic thoughts to one side.

"No doubt you've heard about the Asari's ability to join our mind with that of other beings. It is the way we reproduce...through Union. However, there are...um...less intimate forms of joining as well. We are able to join simply to exchange knowledge, or memories with another person. Dream-joining is merely a subconscious form of the same thing."

Liara longed to say more...to say that it was a sign from the Goddess...that they were meant for each other. This time though, she wouldn't let herself say something stupid and ruin everything. Her lips remained tightly sealed.

"You make it sound so...mystical," Lucy said, voice tinted with awe. "I want to know more about this 'Union'...how does it work?"

"It is...hard to describe," Liara replied, trying to come up with the right words, "When performed between an Asari and a hu-a member of another race, it can only be initiated by the Asari, and it will be the Asari who bears the child. Physical contact may be involved, but it is not required."

"So...there's no physical, erm...lovemaking?"

"Well, there can be..." Liara felt rather flustered, she hadn't been expecting the conversation to take this route "I-I'm afraid I wouldn't be the one to ask."

"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, smiling cheekily "Don't you have any kind of...you know, sex education when you're young?"

"We are taught about the Union, yes..." Liara replied, avoiding Shepard's gaze...she didn't trust herself around that smile "However the physical aspects of intercourse are only touched on very briefly. Since we are encouraged to mate with other species, the process will be so widely diverse that education on the subject is redundant. Besides...amongst my people it is generally believed that it is the privilege of the partner who, erm...takes the maiden's flower to teach them how the act is...performed."

"So, you're a virgin?" Shepard winced; she hadn't meant to put it so bluntly. "Not that it's a bad thing..." she added hastily; that just sounded even worse.

"Yes I...I am," Liara whispered meekly. Her eyes were downcast and it struck Lucy how lonely she must be.

The spectre gently guided the Asari's head up until they're eyes met. She was mere inches from Liara's face, close enough to feel the warm exhalations of her ragged breathing. The scientist was entranced, unable to do anything but wait for Lucy's next move.

For her part...the Commander was torn. Her heart felt like it had tied itself in a knot and was trying to strangle her brain. Images of Tali...waiting patiently for her back on the Normandy invaded her mind's eye. She'd left the young Quarian sleeping, with a note that they would talk when she returned. What the hell would she do now?

The sound of movement outside was like a divine blessing. As this point in time, Lucy almost hoped for an interrogation. Nothing the Geth could do to her would be as bad as the emotional torture she was going through right now.

Fortunately, it was even better than that. The bony head of Garrus appeared outside the energy field that kept the two women trapped. His jaw split in the Turian equivalent of a smile when he saw his squad mates. Immediately, he set to work on the console outside with his omni-tool.

"Thank the Goddess!" Liara said in an excited stage whisper.

The barrier dropped and Lucy was immediately on her feet. Effortlessly, she tugged the Asari into a standing pose as well.

"Are either of you wounded?" Garrus asked, still conscious of the fact they could be discovered at any moment.

"We're fine...let's get out quickly before they realise we've escaped," Shepard hissed. On the way out, Garrus hacked open a nearby storage locker that contained the spectre's gear and Liara's pistol. After the two women were fully armed once again, minus the Commander's biotics, they were set to go.

Their prison had indeed been a modified cargo container. It resided in a pile of several others, all of them sealed. They were stacked to one side of a large clearing, apparently awaiting the arrival of a ship to take them away. Fortunately, their shipping crate had been pretty central and as such, hid them from any patrols.

Peering through a gap, Lucy was able to see several sniper towers as well as numerous barricades. All of them were fully garrisoned with Geth soldiers, instantly recognizable with their sinewy 'muscles' and glowing eyepieces. Beyond the perimeter, several prefab cabins littered the forest steppes. The largest, resembling a command centre/prison block had guards posted at the door. Although they were far off, Shepard could easily distinguish their blue skin...Asari commandos. No doubt Benezia lurked in there somewhere.

"How did you get to us so easily?" she murmured over her shoulder at their Turian rescuer "I can't even see any bodies."

"Benezia expected a rescue attempt," Garrus explained "That building over there, the one with guards, is set up to look like a prison block. It's not, that place is stocked to the gills with Asari biotics."

"I see..." Lucy caught on "That's why we were in a shipping crate; it's the last place any rescue party would look."

"Exactly. Fortunately, I was able to track the group that captured you and ascertain your location." Garrus' voice was touched with pride.

"You did well...now let's slip away quietly, back to the Mako."

The three silently crept from container to container, sticking to the shadows as best they could. After a few terrifying minutes, they at last reached the cover of the trees. The trio was about to continue when Lucy motioned for them all to stop. The spectre pricked up her ears, focusing intently on some far off noise.

"Can anyone else hear that?" she whispered.

Sure enough, a roaring sound like sea surf crashing against a cliff sounded off in the distance. It steadily built as whatever it was drew closer.

The hulking insectoid form of a Geth dropship filled the sky as the blast of its engines swamped the air. It hovered downwards in a lazy circle over the gap in the tree cover, large, metallic crab-legs emerging from the underside. Finally, its grey carapace came to rest in the clearing nearby. It couldn't have been more than thirty metres from the squad's hiding place.

A memory stirred in Lucy's mind...something Tali had once said to her. Yes, it was when the spectre had been asking the young Quarian about her pilgrimage.

_ "...We created them, but they've changed so much during their time beyond the veil. Perhaps if I could get something that detailed how they've evolved since they forced us from out home. I don't know if such a thing even exists...but if it does, it could be the first step towards reclaiming our homeworld."_

Lucy had promised that if they found anything, Tali would be the first to know...now this was her chance. The Geth may fry their memory cores when destroyed, but a ship's computer would surely have a wealth of information.

It was a tricky decision...but that data may also help the Alliance. Hell, it could help every species who'd ever encountered problems from the rogue synthetics.

"Liara, Garrus..." she began, having no doubt they'd argue against her on this one "I'm going to say something totally insane. I need you to trust me...go to the Mako and start the final prep for extraction."

Liara and Garrus shared a glance. The Turian looked nervous, Liara looked terrified.

"What have you got planned?" Garrus asked, with a sceptical twitch.

"I'm going to board that Geth ship." the spectre replied, as calmly as if she was popping out to grab a coffee.

The Turian's mandibles stirred. For a second, it looked like he was about to object, but then swallowed and simply nodded.

"Are you crazy?" Liara fearfully hissed "You're going to...to get yourself killed!"

Instead of replying, Lucy grabbed the Asari and pulled her into a tender embrace. Red met blue as the spectre captured Liara's lips and heart with a passionate kiss. It lasted for a brief ten seconds, but to the young scientist it felt like an eternity of joy. She was far too surprised to react and by the time her brain had processed that Lucy..._Lucy!_...was kissing her, the moment had passed.

Garrus coughed awkwardly, feeling distinctly out of place. The sound brought Shepard back to reality and forced her to grudgingly, release the other woman. Liara was left slightly agape, her mind still trying to catch up with her body.

"That's one more reason I have to come back alive..." Lucy whispered, before breaking cover and sprinting in the direction of the Geth ship.

"Dr. T'soni! We have to go!" Garrus hissed, before adding in a softer voice "We'll see her again in a few minutes, mark my words."

Liara allowed herself to be led through the bushes towards their getaway vehicle. Although her brain took care of footing and other practicalities, her mind was on another plane. Lucy had kissed her..._kissed her_. The experience had been every bit as captivating as the Asari had dreamt. Languid warmth permeated every inch of her body, until she was sure her skin was physically glowing.

* * *

Lucy covered the distance back to the shipping crates in a matter of seconds. She slipped behind the nearest one and took a moment to gather her breath. The boarding ramp to the dropship was down, as were several other entrances for troops to use. Large, armature-like Geth were busy loading the crates on the far side of the pile. It would only be minutes before they discovered their special package was empty. That was if Benezia didn't come to gloat a bit first.

It was all a matter of timing. Most of the garrison still lingered near the main camp, maintaining the illusion of a prison block for as long as possible. Only the loaders and a few patrols were in the vicinity of the ship.

Lucy waited until the first patrol had passed her position, then dashed for another hiding place. After a few frantic seconds of exposure, she was hunkered down against one of the huge landing gear. No shots sounded...the run had been clean.

It was another minute until a window of oppourtunity opened up. Not many crates remained...she'd have to make it inside on this dash. Throwing caution to the wind, she sprinted for one of the smaller entrances. Time slowed, and suddenly the ramp seemed impossibly far away. For an agonizing moment, Shepard was sure she'd be seen. Then her boots clanged on metal and she was inside.

A Geth immediately looked up from its panel at the sound. Lucy froze...it was staring right at her. The pilot began to go for the alarm, but the spectre was faster. Covering the space between them in a single leap, she unceremoniously tackled the synthetic to the floor. There was a brief scuffle, Lucy was strong but the Geth was slippery...it was impossible to get a grip.

Eventually, the Commander simply punched the robot repeatedly in the head until it stopped moving. Breathing heavily, she flicked sticky green fluid off her hand and examined the room. Fortunately, there'd been no other Geth present...just a few control panels and plenty of doorways. It was by no means a secure location, so Lucy wasted no time in accessing the nearest console. It was written in some bizarre script that the spectre didn't have a hope of translating...fortunately, she didn't have to.

Shepard unclipped the military grade OSD from her utility belt. It was designed to be so basic that even the most braindead of grunts could use it. Simply slot it in, and it ripped as many files as it could store from whatever networks were available.

The process was done in seconds. Lucy slipped the drive away safely; making extra sure it was secure. Just then, a shrill whine sounded from the base outside...looks like their absence had finally been noticed. The time for stealth was past, now was the time for getting out as fast as she damn well could.

The dash back to the Mako passed in a blur. On her way from the dropship, Lucy literally ran headlong through a Geth patrol. The confusion was the only thing that spared her life. By the time weapons were brought to bare, the spectre had vanished into the undergrowth. Trees rushed by in a tangled mess of stinging branches.

Eventually, the white chassis of the APC shone through the greenery. It was free of the mud and looked about as ready as could be expected. The Commander bounded the last few metres and collapsed heavily on the hard floor of the vehicle.

Liara was there, helping Lucy into a seat and buckling a seat belt across her chest. Shepard gave her a victorious smile, still managing to look dashing despite being caked in grime and Geth juice.

"Thank you Goddess," Liara whispered, feeling about as tired as the Commander looked "Thank you..."


	4. Chapter 4: TDCTMH

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 4 – The Decryption Code To My Heart**

With a screech of protesting brakes and a shower of sparks, the Mako slid to a precarious stop inside the Normandy's cargo bay. The extraction had been much more frantic than normal, and probably would have failed altogether were it not for Joker's masterful piloting. Lucy could just picture his smug face, spouting off how great he was to anyone unfortunate enough to be stuck in the vicinity. At that moment though, she had to agree...the pilot had saved all their lives.

"We...we made it," Liara whispered disbelievingly "We made it!"

Garrus started laughing, a sharp cackling sound that was as infectious as it was loud. Liara's nerve cracked and she couldn't help but giggle. Before long, all three were chuckling hysterically to themselves.

"Let's...let's get out before they think we've gone insane," Lucy wheezed breathlessly, going for the exit.

"You are insane Commander," Garrus retorted, though there was no venom in his words.

The door had been mangled at some point in the proceedings; probably from their less than stellar landing. Lucy pressed the release button several times. Nothing happened apart from the pathetic whine of strained motors.

"Stand back..." she panted breathlessly. Welling up a few last drops of strength, Shepard smashed her shoulder against the hatch. The weakened hull buckled and finally cracked under the strain. Lucy's momentum carried her through the freshly opened hole and into a heap on the deck outside.

Harsh lighting blinded the spectre, leaving her dazed and disorientated. For a second, she couldn't remember where they were. Then a husky, human voice sounded from a few metres away.

"They're alive!" Kaiden yelled, rushing to help the Commander. The Lieutenant helped Lucy to her feet, while motioning for Wrex and Ashley to come and assist him. Behind, Garrus and Liara stumbled from the gutted Mako into the waiting arms of a medical team. The two glanced at Shepard, but allowed themselves to be hauled off to the Medbay, too tired to protest. Lucy knew she'd soon have to join them, but there was something important she had to do first.

"You had us worried for a while there Shepard," the gravelly voice of Wrex came from behind her. He sounded genuinely concerned, or at least as close to it as a Krogan could.

"Have a little faith Wrex," Lucy laughed, slapping the huge reptile on the back. The impact made her wince; those muscles were going to be sore for a few days yet.

"They're gonna need you two to help with the clean up," Ashley said, motioning at Wrex and the Lieutenant. "Don't worry, I'll babysit the Commander."

Wrex and Kaiden began to grumble, but were silenced by a look from Lucy. The Krogan shrugged, before letting out a hearty chuckle and leading the protesting biotic back the way they'd come.

"I don't like the look of that smirk," Shepard said, regarding Ashley with one arched eyebrow "You look too much like me."

"Well..." the young marine said, smiling even wider "If I was you, I'd know that there was a certain person who'd been awaiting my return with great anticipation."

It was Lucy's turn to smirk. It didn't surprise her that the Chief knew; she was a lot sharper than most gave her credit for. The grin died however as William's expression turned more sombre.

"Seriously though Commander, she's been really worried about you. What with that helmet and all, it's only a matter of time before she drowns in her own tears."

"I see..." Lucy said, glancing around for any sign of that familiar head shawl "Do you think you could stall Chakwas for me?"

There was an unmistakable sound of a descending lift, a noise which made Ashley grin again as she nodded.

"Make yourself scarce Chief," Lucy said, giving her a sidelong glance. The young woman nodded and bounded off to hunt down the doctor.

Shepard glanced around. For not so subtle reasons, she was glad that Liara had gone. It was foolish for her to feel guilty...after all, the kiss had been a spur of the moment gesture. The thought did little to alleviate her nerves; she would have to do something about this whole mess very soon. The longer she put it off, the more and more likely it became that she'd end up with nothing at all.

With a pneumatic hiss, the lift door slid open. Tali spotted the spectre almost immediately, and wasted absolutely no time.

"Lucy!" she shrieked, causing several crewmen to start with alarm. Shepard had never seen anyone move as fast as the Quarian did just then; her feet barely touched the ground as she covered the distance between them.

She had a fraction of a second to brace herself before the girl literally leapt the last few metres and crashed into Shepard's arm. The force nearly sent then both bowling over, compounded by the fact that Tali wrapped her curvaceous thighs around Lucy's waist and refused to let go. The Commander's only option was to slide her hands under the girl's hips and return the embrace.

"I was so worried!" Tali whispered, squeezing with all the might in her tiny frame "When I woke up and you weren't there...then when I heard you'd been captured! I didn't know what to do."

It was hard for Lucy to speak, what with her face being forcibly crushed into the Quarian's chest. Shepard could feel Tali's racing heart beat wildly, even through the swell of her bosom. Fortunately, the young girl relaxed her hold slightly, allowing the spectre to start breathing again.

"I know...I didn't want to leave you, but you were so peaceful...it seemed cruel to wake you up. If I'd know what would happen..." she babbled; excuses weren't her strong suit.

Eventually, Lucy coaxed the Quarian off her and set the girl gently down on the floor. Even at her full height, Tali only came up to Shepard's chin...she couldn't have been any more than five foot.

"I've been thinking about what you said," she muttered, suddenly timid "About what I would say if...when you came back. In fact, I've wanted to tell you ever since you saved my life on Therum..."

"Don't be scared, you can tell me." Lucy whispered, suddenly afraid. She longed to hear the words she knew were coming, yet the familiar icy-cold of fear flooded her stomach. The implications of what the young girl might say were terrifying.

Tali tilted her head upwards. With one hand, she fumbled with some button on the side of her helmet. She pressed it, and Shepard was greeted with a hiss of pressurised air escaping.

The spectre stared in wonder as the fog that had shrouded the Quarian's face all this time escaped through tiny vents in her rebreather. Eventually, Lucy was left looking through mere glass at the most gorgeous sight she'd ever seen.

Tali's skin was a ghostly white; almost translucently pale...a by-product of a lifetime in artificial light. Her eyes were puffy and red from prolonged sorrow, but Lucy could still make out the large, hazel iris that encircled each midnight pupil. The Quarian's nose was small and dainty, with a slightly turned up end. It's bridge curved gracefully upwards to merge with pencil-thin eyebrows.

Plump lips were parted from heavy breathing that steamed the base of her visor. They were pale like the rest of her face, but subtle hints of pink and purple lent them an irresistible, alluring quality. Apart from her mouth and eyes, the only other colour on the young girls face was the blush of her cheeks, which were stained a dark redy-purple with embarrassment.

"I love you Lucy..." she squeaked in a tiny voice "You mean everything to me and...and I wanted to make this moment special, for both of us..."

Lucy had always taken the word 'love' very seriously. It was bandied about all the time, yet few people actually truly felt it deep down. She'd only ever used the term 'love' with one special person before, and that hadn't ended well. Still, that was in the past now, and she wouldn't let it affect decisions of the present. It was painfully obvious that the young girl meant what she said, it was now or never. Shepard's breath caught in her throat as she locked the Quarian in a heart-stopping gaze.

"Oh Tali..." she whimpered, watching the complex drama of emotion unfold across the engineer's features "I love you too!"


	5. Chapter 5: Where No Man Has Gone Before

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 5 – Where No Man Has Gone Before**

"Don't worry, I understand..." Tali choked sadly, turning to go with an utterly dejected look on her face. Suddenly, she froze. "W-What did you say Shepard?"

Lucy was gaping like a moron. Has she really just said that? No, this had to be a dream...there was no way she had just uttered those words.

The silence hung painfully like the world's largest elephant in the room. Not a dream then...

The Commander realized then that what she'd just said had been one hundred percent true. When she looked at Tali, she felt nothing but pure, unadulterated love. That was it...it was that simple.

"I love you Tali, I love you." The words felt so right in her mouth.

The engineer stood mutely for a second, jaw hanging loose beneath her transparent visor. She mouthed something but only a small, strangled cry came out. Eventually, the disbelief rolled away to reveal a face that couldn't have looked more joyful if she tried. For the first time, Lucy could actually see the young girls eyes light up with excitement.

"I don't believe it..." she babbled ecstatically "I-I was so sure that in our time apart, you'd have thought better of it...of me. I mean...I...I...I don't know what I mean anymore."

The spectre treated Tali to her sweetest smile, before coiling her in again for another tender embrace. Lucy crushed her lips to the Quarian's mouthpiece as if she could push right through to the willing flesh beneath. Behind her faceplate, the young engineer followed suit, kissing against the metal with the utmost tenderness. Her long-lashed eyelids closed as Tali melted into Lucy's arms, pressing up against the Commander with passionate fervour.

They remained joined at the 'lips' for several minutes, revelling in their newfound mutual willingness. Lucy could have kissed that Quarian forever, and probably would have attempted it, had not the vast bulk of Wrex materialised nearby.

To his credit, the Battlemaster didn't even blink when he saw the two girls ardently entwined together. The Krogan made a surprisingly small amount of noise for a creature of size, and Lucy didn't really register his presence until a gruff voice sounded from no more than a metre away.

"You know...last time we were at the Citadel, I spotted your medical officer taking on some unregistered supplies. Now, I'm not paranoid or anything...but when I searched those crates, I found a cache of Quarian vaccine boosters. Could be useful if you plan on bumping hips with that girl of yours."

Both women nearly died of shock.

"Jesus Wrex!" Lucy exclaimed, more from surprise than anger "Don't creep up on people like tha...wait a minute, Quarian vaccines?"

Wrex simply winked before striding off towards the lift. Unpleasant sounds of a Krogan stomach rumbling echoed off the walls.

"Sorry Shepard," Tali gasped, still breathing rapidly "I'd forgotten how public this place is."

Lucy could indeed spy a number of the younger male crew surreptitiously glancing in her direction. The offenders quickly jerked away when the spectre looked up, suddenly very engrossed in whatever duties they were performing. One guy actually whistled nonchalantly as he walked by, eyes respectfully fixed on the opposite bulkhead.

"There's no need to be ashamed," Shepard chided, only half joking "Everyone on this ship knows my, erm...tendencies. Nevertheless, it may be wise not to make a...public spectacle of ourselves."

Tali nodded, and reluctantly withdrew from her lover.

"I need to go and see the doctor" Lucy said, "Share my bed again tonight...we have a lot to talk about. Besides...it was so much fun the first time"

"I'd love to," the Quarian beamed, shaking slightly with anticipation "Please, don't be too long."

Lucy smiled again and proceeded to the cargo lift with a spring in her step. Tali was left alone, staring doe eyed after the spectre. The Quarian shook herself briskly to clear her head, then hurried off to assist with repairs to the Mako, hoping the time would pass quicker if she was occupied.

* * *

Liara lay on one of the uncomfortably hard operating beds in the Medbay. It was just her and the doctor now; Garrus had been discharged a while ago. Her ankle still throbbed. Once the adrenaline had worn off, all the pain of running on an injury had caught up with her. Now the joint was swollen and tender, Liara cursed herself once again for being so stupid.

"How bad is it doctor?" she asked, looking to relieve the tension with conversation.

"Well, it could have been a lot worse," Chakwas reassured, tapping away at a 3D radiograph scan, "You've fractured your fibula and a lump of fragmented cartilage has become lodged between the talus and the navicular."

"Forgive me but medicine is not my field," the Asari murmured "I'm afraid you'll have to explain it in slightly more colloquial parlance."

Dr. Chakwas chuckled slightly to herself, eliciting a curious glance from Liara.

"Sorry," the medical officer mumbled before continuing, "I'll give you a shot of oxiribel for the pain. As for the ankle itself, I don't think a full bone-knit is required, all it needs is a simple bio-scaffold."

The Asari looked suspiciously at the doctor "You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"One of the many perks of the job." the older woman quipped, withdrawing a wicked looking syringe gun. Before Liara could protest, the medic pressed the device to her swollen joint and the scientist felt a tiny pressure as the needle punctured her skin. It was uncomfortable, but the rewards were instantaneous as the pain quickly evaporated, washed away by the drugs.

Dr. Chakwas began cutting a sheet of polymer material down to size, occasionally holding it up to the 'younger' woman's foot for comparison. Something niggled at the back of Liara's mind. After a brief deliberation, she decided the medical officer could be trusted to keep a secret.

"Erm...doctor, can I ask you something?"

"Of course." came the curt reply.

"Well, um...I just wanted to ask...how well do you know the Commander?"

Chakwas glanced up briefly, cocking her eyebrow. Liara wondered if she'd overstepped her mark, after all the doctor's friendliness could just be a bedside manner. The other woman smiled warmly however and resumed her work.

"Not as well as I'd like, she spends as little time in here as possible. I'd take it personally, if I thought she was doing it out of personal pride. She strikes me as the kind of person who is strong for those around her, not for herself."

When Liara said nothing, the doctor continued.

"I've never seen a more selfless person...one would almost think she hates herself, judging by her willingness to sacrifice for others."

"B-But she doesn't does she?" the Asari interrupted, the very idea hurting her deeply.

"Of course not," Dr. Chakwas grinned, layering on some kind adhesive onto the bandage "Unhappy people don't generally inspire happiness in others, and the Commander does just that..."

The doctor cut herself off mid sentence to wrap the dressing round Liara's inured joint. The Asari winced at the initial contact, twiddling her toes nervously.

"I must say..." the medic muttered, concentrating on her work "You seem awfully curious about our spectre."

"Oh..." Liara stuttered, the familiar warmth of a blush touching her cheeks "I-It's nothing...I-I was just curious...that's all."

The doctor fixed her with a wry, knowing stare. The Asari gulped...she wasn't doing the best job of concealing her feelings. In fact, she couldn't really make them any more obvious if she tried.

"Well..." Dr. Chakwas said, being as diplomatic as possible "Not that I want to presume anything, but if you intentions tend towards the...romantic side, you've chosen the right woman. It's never been officially stated, but its common knowledge that she tends towards the fairer sex."

"She does?" Liara exclaimed with far too much obvious enthusiasm. The outburst caused her blush to deepen...how many more time could she be shamed in one day?

The medical officer laughed out loud, but stifled it into a coughing fit as the Medbay doors slid open.

"You know you're in trouble when your doctor starts wheezing." Lucy said, gliding into the room. Liara felt the familiar butterflies that churned in her stomach whenever the spectre was around.

"How's the foot?" Shepard asked, glancing at the dressing with a concerned face.

"Doctor Chakwas assures me I am going to be fine," Liara stated carefully, desperate to avoid a Freudian slip "I was impressed with her knowledge of Asari physiology."

"That's wonderful news," the spectre exclaimed with a cheerful smile before turning to the other woman "You wanted to see me doctor?"

"Yes, preferably before I died of old age but I guess we'll have to make do," the older woman teased, "Take some bed rest Liara...that ankle should be feeling much better after a good night's sleep."

"Oh...of course," the scientist mumbled, easing herself down to the floor. Lucy motioned to go and help, but was intercepted by the doctor steering her to a nearby bed. Liara limped to the back room with a deep feeling of regret. She'd been looking forward to an opportunity to talk with Shepard, maybe even sum up the courage to discuss what happened earlier that day.

The doors closed behind her, with a terminating whoosh. Liara did feel deathly weary, but her heart was still aching to be back in the other room. She dithered briefly, before deciding what to do. Nervously, she tapped the door control panel to switch to manual open. With that done, she edged up alongside, guiltily pressing her 'ear' to the metallic surface. It felt wrong to be eavesdropping, but the scientist longed to hear Lucy's voice for just a bit longer.

At first all she could hear was some nondescript mumbling, the words were too muffled to clearly distinguish. Liara began a brief mental focusing exercise, helping to shut out all extraneous noise and focus solely on what she wanted to listen too. By the time she was done, the two women were deep in conversation.

"You're a woman of the world doctor…" she heard Lucy saying with a note of…apprehension?

"I am old yes," came the sarcastic reply with a faint chuckle. Liara could just imagine Shepard's cheeky grin.

"That's not what I meant and you know it," she teased with false indignation. Dr. Chakwas snorted before continuing.

"Well, anyway, what did you want to ask me?"

"It's…um…it's kind of personal, you won't tell anyone will you?" Lucy said, sounding almost scared. Liara felt another twinge of guilt, but she was unable to tear herself away.

"Of course I won't," the doctor replied "Patient confidentiality et cetera."

"Well…" the Commander began, as if unsure whether or not to continue "Do you…do you think it's possible to love two people…I mean, at the same time."

There was a pregnant pause that lasted for about half a minute. Eventually, the doctor spoke again, so softly that Liara had to strain to make out the words.

"That really depends on who the two people are."

The Asari forced herself from the door, the guilt finally becoming too much to bare. Was this how she was going to treat the woman she cared for, by nosing into her private conversations? Liara felt lightheaded, and not just because of the drugs. She staggered the few paces to her bed, unable to make sense of anything she'd just heard.

Unbidden, memories of the brief kiss they'd shared together forced their way from the tangled mess of thoughts that clogged her mind. Had it meant as much to the spectre as it had done to her? Liara desperately hoped so, but the more she thought about it, the less and less likely it seemed that it had been anything more than the impulsive action of someone about to face potential death.

'I should just go out there!' she thought quietly aloud 'I should just go up to her and tell her exactly how I feel!'

The words sounded hollow and empty, even to her. There was no way she'd be bold enough to confront Lucy. It was stupid to even think that the other woman was interested...how could anyone love such a coward? The miserable realisation circled her mind like a plughole, mingling with a painkiller induced haze. Liara sighed fretfully, finally overcome by every single form of exhaustion simultaneously. Her body crumpled onto the camp bed as the Asari fell into a mercifully dreamless sleep.

* * *

Lucy left the Medbay with more questions than answers. Instead of helping her decide on a course of action, the doctor's answer had simply made the spectre more confused. At least it had helped her sort out her own feelings; there was now no denying that she was smitten with both the alien girls. What to do now though? How on earth was she going to resolve this without anyone getting hurt? There had to be a way…there was always a way. The most important thing was that no one be allowed to suffer because of her actions.

Shepard forced the images of Liara's face to the back of her mind. She'd find the time to talk with the scientist, but right now she had to make herself respectable for another special person. Lucy still wore her battle armour, having not had a free moment since she arrived. The assorted dirt from Verdus caked her clothing and exposed skin, having now congealed. The spectre tried not to think about what exactly was covering her.

Lucy locked the door to her quarters behind her, immediately stripping off the filthy polymer sleeve. The grunge had soaked through the joints and dried, leaving a mottled patchwork of browny greens over the Commanders toned stomach and chest. Shepard was used to being filthy; it came with the job, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Entering the bathroom, the spectre avoided looking at her messy reflection.

The wonderfully warm shower spray had never felt quite as good as it did then. Lucy closed her eyes and sighed contentedly as the deluge washed away all the horrible dirt. It was a personal pleasure of hers, cleaning up after a mission, watching the grime drain away down the plughole, leaving her refreshed and revitalised. The Commander glanced at a wall mounted time display...only another hour until her and Tali could spend some 'alone' time together. Lucy was glad that no one was around to hear the mighty spectre giggling like a little schoolgirl on her first date.

* * *

A small beep alerted Lucy to the fact someone waited to come in. The spectre quickly fumbled to put away the makeup she'd been applying, sliding it conspiratorially into a draw. Looking at the time, there could be no doubt as to who it was. She felt her heart skip a few beats as she approached and reached out a trembling had to open the door.

No sooner had the metal barrier parted than Tali had blurred into the room and was in her arms once again. Lucy staggered a step backwards, before clasping the Quarian girl to her, sliding eager hands up underneath the engineer's makeshift shawl to caress the back of her neck. Despite all the turmoil, the feeling of Tali's warm body held so tightly against her own simply felt...right.

"Oh Lucy, I've missed you so much!" the young girl cried, running an elongated finger down the other woman's spine. Lucy laughed heartily, revelling in the tingles that the delicate contact sent pulsing through her nerves.

"It's only been a few hours..." Shepard giggled, disentangling herself from the Quarian.

"Without you Lucy, a mere second is like an endless eternity."

The spectre felt a blush crawling up her neck; she wasn't used to such shameless flattery.

"That's the corniest thing I've ever heard!" she teased, although in reality the words meant a huge amount more than she let on.

"I-I'm sorry," Tali said "I just get so swept up...you make me feel so special Lucy."

"You are Tali...you're so, _so_ special to me."

It was the Quarian's turn to blush, but she did not look away. Instead, she held Shepard's gaze for a long, long time.

"There's something I have to do..." she said eventually "I need to do it before I lose my nerve but I...I'm scared."

Lucy gently guided the agitated girl to a seat at the table. Tali rested her hands awkwardly on its surface, fidgeting with her fingers.

"Shepard...hold my hand, please."

The spectre complied, interlacing her fingers amongst Tali's. The engineer was drawing deep, steadying breaths, as if preparing to leap into an abyss.

"What's wrong? Let me help you..." Lucy said, helplessly giving the Quarian rapid squeezes of reassurance.

Tali shook her head, clearly pained. She glanced nervously around the room, before fixing her gaze back on Lucy's face. Her eyes settled on the spectres moist, slightly parted lips. Shepard knew longing well enough to see it etched in every muscle of the young girls face. Suddenly the Commander knew what she was trying to sum up the courage to do.

"Do you want me to help you?" Lucy asked, breathlessly anticipating the engineer's next move.

A single tear leaked from Tali's eye, rolling down her flushed cheeks and disappearing from view.

"No Lucy!" she cried with a strained note of panic "If I am not strong enough to do this, I don't deserve a woman who is."

It happened in the space of time it takes to blink. Tali's entire body stiffened as she jerkily slid her hands from Shepard's grasp. In one swift motion, she'd depressed the recessed release switch, and the entire front portion of her helmet fell away, landing with a tinny clatter on the table.

Lucy inhaled sharply. The move had been done in time for the tiny teardrop to fall from Tali's chin. It landed with a tiny 'plip' on the tabletop. The Quarian paid it no heed. Her eyes were fixed unblinkingly open like a deer caught in the headlights of a truck. The girl's chest rose and fell at an alarming rate and her entire body shivered uncontrollably. All the signs pointed towards one fact. The young engineer was going into shock.

"Tali? Tali!" Lucy yelled, morbidly transfixed by the strained gasps of hyperventilation that forced their way from the Quarian's lungs.

In the heat of the moment, the Commander could only think of one thing to do. It wasn't in any first aid manual, but the spectre was too distracted to recall her training anyway. She violently shoved the table to one side and extended a hand to lightly cup the young girls faintly pointed chin. Then...as softly as she could manage, Lucy touched her mouth to Tali's trembling lips.

Nothing in her entire life could compare to that moment. After all the anticipation, the kiss most definitely didn't disappoint. Shepard's heart melted instantly, as the feeling of Tali's moist skin consumed her every sense. Closing her eyes, Lucy deepened the contact until the girl's nose brushed electrically across her cheek. The spectre's arms auto-piloted their way to encircle the petrified Quarian and pull her in deeper.

Tali froze for a second, eyes bulging alarmingly wide. Then...it was as if something clicked deep inside. Her breathing slowly calmed to a less dangerous level and the convulsions that wracked her body transformed into shivers of pleasure. Lucy continued to medicate the girl, using her own lips to softly part the engineer's. Shepard's tongue slid from her mouth and began to slide across Tali's teeth, seeking to penetrate the pearly white barrier.

The young girl gasped involuntarily, allowing her eyelids to close as she too was swept up in the passionate moment. That was all the invitation Lucy needed to slip inside, delighting in the glorious feeling of tasting her lover for the very first time. Tali began to respond, cautiously licking the tip of Shepard's tongue with her own. The electrically charged contact made the Commander whimper, encouraging the other girl to continue.

The Quarian parted Lucy's willing lips and returned the favour, quickly learning what to do. Shepard whimpered again before shifting her mouth to capture Tali's bottom lip between her own. A rhythmic sucking motion elicited more surprised cries of joy from the young engineer as she discovered all the glorious new feelings of her first proper kiss.

Eventually, the two were forced to part. Heavy panting filled the air as both girls recovered the breath that had been so lovingly stolen from them.

"I'm so sorry Shepard…" Tali hastened to say as soon as her voice returned, "I should have warned you about the emotional block we have about exposing ourselves to the outside world."

"Why didn't you?" Lucy hissed. She felt momentarily furious at the Quarian for scaring her so badly. The emotion dissolved as quickly as it arrived, letting relief flood in to fill the void.

"I didn't want you to think I was weak." Tali said in a tiny voice, "You're so strong, I-I just wanted to prove to you that I could be too."

Shepard blinked, processing what the young girl had said. Is that how she saw the spectre? The thought was so touching; Lucy had to bite down hard on her bottom lip to hold back a stream of tears.

"Tali, you don't have to prove anything to me. I've seen for myself how brave you are, hell...you're barely an adult and here you are making your own way in the universe." she said, just managing to suppress the frog in her throat, "No one can be strong all the time, especially when confronting their deepest fears. I cried for hours after what happened to you on Therum, the thought of losing such a close friend absolutely terrified me. Now I...I..."

Lucy trailed off, lost in thought as her eyes roamed over the Quarian's face. Without her mask, Tali looked even younger...and even more heart-wrenchingly pretty.

"Kiss me..." the young girl whispered, tilting her head back and parting sweet cherry-blossom lips, eagerly awaiting the return of her partner's tongue. Shepard didn't need to be told twice, Tali's moist breath was already fluttering across the spectre's cheek as she angled her head down to softly nibble at the engineers offering. Taking her lover's bottom lip between her teeth, Lucy lightly fretted at the purple-hued flesh, taking extra care not to clamp down too hard. Her reward was a little gasp of startled arousal, followed by tiny whimpers of ecstasy.

For the next several hours, the two explored their newfound love. They talked at length about their pasts, both marred with tragedy and loss. Kisses and cuddles were given when comfort was needed, and many times when it wasn't. Tali was insatiable; the feeling of actual contact with another being was such an unexpected pleasure and now she couldn't get enough of it. By the time the two were lying in bed, preparing for sleep, Lucy felt lightheaded from lack of oxygen. It didn't matter though, not when the Quarian's shapely body was nestled against her side, sucking sweetly on her fingertip like a newborn. The feeling was quite exquisite, not to mention frustratingly erotic.

It wasn't fair; her body was on fire with need...she'd never be able to sleep. The covers were stifling on top of her feverish form, trapping all the heat generated by the two in an oven of arousal. At length, Tali spoke with a tentative voice that pierced the heady haze that surrounded the Commander.

"You know Lucy..." she whispered innocently "I don't feel particularly tired."

Shepard started slightly; she hadn't realized the girl was still awake. The spectre gulped, comprehending the hidden proposal. Were they both ready for this? Then Tali closed her little pouting lips around Lucy's fingertip once again and all doubt was driven from her mind. They were ready.

"No Tali..." she rasped, struggling to force the words from her dry throat "Neither am I."


	6. Chapter 6: More Than A Feeling

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 6 – More Than A Feeling**

Silence lingered in the air for fleeting moments as both girls waited to see what the other would do. For a few long seconds, neither of them moved a muscle. Then, Lucy withdrew a glistening finger from her young lover's mouth and flicked it across the control strip. Pale blue, atmospheric lighting bathed the bedroom in simulated starlight, illuminating the two women with an ethereal glow. The moonlit corona played off Tali's expectant eyes, enhancing their gorgeous iridescence.

"You know, I've dreamt about this moment so many times..." she whispered, cradling Lucy's head in a tangle of arms and radiant golden hair.

Shepard shifted her position under the covers until she lay on top of the apprehensive Quarian, straddling her flared hips on either side. Leaning down, Lucy placed a sweet little peck on the tip of the Quarian's button nose. The kisses trailed across the girl's face, alighting on all her wonderfully sculpted features with featherlike softness. Tali gasped softly, unused to another's touch upon her sensitive skin. She'd been shut away for so long that the feeling of anything but stale air upon her face sent shivers right down her spine.

"I'm scared..." she confessed, still drunk on the stimulating sensations, "I've never been with a partner before..."

Lucy pulled back, empathic concern written in her eyes.

"We don't have to do this," she said earnestly "If you don't feel ready...I'd understand."

The Quarian shook her head slightly, looking worried but still full of eagerness.

"No...I don't want to stop," she murmured just as sincerely. "Just, please...be gentle with me Shepard. Let's take things slowly."

Lucy smiled, her pearly whites inches from Tali's face.

"I hadn't planned for it to be any other way." she husked, leaning in for another soul-searing kiss.

The spectre's hands slid smoothly across Tali's cheeks, making their way to the switch that would release the remainder of her helmet. Still locked at the lips, Lucy pressed the button in, and felt the headgear release its grip on the engineer's skull. Tali cried out softly, tensing up with fear as the helmet slid off. Shepard continued to kiss her softly, whispering soothing words of encouragement and reassurance between mouthfuls.

As the metal fell away, Lucy stifled a gasp at what was beneath. A tightly packed mass of midnight black hair cascaded from the Quarian's scalp, fanning rapidly across the pillow as it sprang from the confined space. The dark strands were surprisingly long, spreading far enough to tickle across the engineers shoulders and frame her face with a beautiful monochrome contrast.

"My God!" Lucy breathed, reverently taking several strands of the hair between her fingers. It glistened in the dim lighting, shining with a million tiny points of reflection. Tali looked almost human without her mask. If it wasn't for her extreme paleness, Shepard could have mistaken her for an earthborn of Asian origin.

Lucy laced her fingers through Tali's rich mane, running her hand deftly through the silky mass. The Quarian squeaked slightly as Shepard's fingertips brushed her sensitive scalp.

"You're so beautiful Tali." the Commander cooed, still lightly playing with the young girl's hair.

A few tiny tears of happiness leaked from the engineer's oriental eyes, disappearing into her untamed locks.

"You're the first person to ever tell me that Lucy," she sighed, hugging the spectre to her "And you're the only one I would have believed."

Tali's mouth parted slightly to allow her pinky-purple tongue to peep out. Moving closer, she tentatively licked her way along Lucy's upper lip, leaving a trail of moisture that shone in the fake starlight. The gesture gave way to another loving kiss, this one even deeper and more heartfelt than the last. Shepard felt the young girl's tongue sliding across the roof of her mouth before diving back down to rub sensually against her own. On an impulse, the Commander suddenly shifted her lips to capture Tali's tongue between them, and began to suck softly.

The Quarian would have moaned but she didn't want Lucy to stop her blissful ministrations. The girl's body was alive with wonderful sensations, the likes of which she'd never known before. At that moment, she felt more loved than at any other time in her life...she felt special and beautiful, words she'd never have thought would describe her before now. When the spectre's lips detached themselves, she felt the loss as if she'd had a limb severed from her body.

"That was incredible!" she whispered, licking the other woman's saliva from her lips "Is that how humans make love?"

Lucy's mouth was mere millimetres from her ear; she could feel the warm breath tickling its sensitive inner lining.

"Oh we're just getting started." Shepard whispered seductively, Tali's words stoking the flames of arousal in her belly.

The Commander flicked her tongue out once more, licking across the ridges of the engineer's auricle. The muscle's tip toyed at the opening to Tali's humanoid ear, coating the tender area with moisture and filling the girl's head with the sounds of heavy panting. The Quarian whimpered loudly, consumed with pleasure and yearning. Lucy inched even closer, and gently took the girl's earlobe between her teeth, grazing the tip softly enough to not hurt her inexperienced lover. The nibbling motions drew a short ecstatic cry from Tali's lungs.

"Oh Ancestors!" she gasped, gripping the spectre even tighter to prevent her stopping.

After what seemed like hours of simple bliss, Lucy finally withdrew herself. She settled back on her haunches, still saddled over the young girl with her thighs squeezing the engineer's taught stomach. Tali's chest was heaving with strained inhalations that mimicked Shepard's own ragged breathing.

"Are you absolutely sure Tali?" the spectre whispered, still feeling slightly guilty over what she was putting the young girl through.

"Shepard...I've been sure ever since I first met you," the Quarian replied just as quietly, looking to where her body was still encased in prohibitive fabric "Let's just get this over with..."

Lucy nodded mutely, and began the laborious process of freeing her lover from the confines of her suit. The shawl came off first, leaving Tali's head completely exposed for the first time. Beneath her ghostly skin, Shepard could just make out the faint shadows of bones and blood vessels. Far from being repulsive, the barely noticeable translucency only served to enhance the engineer's appealing looks. Whenever the girl smiled, the slightly darker patches shifted to accentuate the cute little dimples that formed in her cheeks.

The Commander trailed her hand down to Tali's chest, noticing how well the one-piece hugged all the Quarian's curves. Odd that something so form-fitting could still leave so much to the imagination.

Twin leathery straps kept the suit tight, lashed around just beneath Tali's breasts. They were incredibly stiff, and it took Lucy a few moments of gentle wrestling before she could undo the buckle. Tali balked, fluttering her eyelids at the sensation of the sweaty fabric peeling tantalizingly from her skin, no longer bound by the restraints.

Lucy then went for the sash-like belt that ran diagonally across the engineer's torso. It soon joined the other items of clothing in a discarded pile on the floor. Slowly but surely, the spectre found and released every seal, every clasp that stood between her and whatever lay beneath. Eventually, after half an hour of breathless labour, interrupted by tender kisses and whispered words of affection, Shepard was able to begin freeing the Quarian.

"You ready?" she cooed, keeping her voice full of reassurance and strength.

Tali looked terrified, but she nodded once in affirmation before closing her eyes and biting down hard on her bottom lip.

Lucy started on the girl's right arm, grasping the metal plates that encased it firmly in both hands. With a brief tug, she quickly slid the sleeve off before the Quarian could react and bend at the elbow. Tali wailed with fright, wrenching at the spectre's heart like an ice-cold pickaxe buried to the hilt. The sound of her lover's distress tore Shepard apart emotionally but as always, she had to be strong.

Forcibly shutting out Tali's keening whimpers, Lucy moved to the next metallic sleeve, this time getting a purchase on some protruding tubes. With the same quick efficiency, that too was removed. The young girl tensed briefly, arching her back in an unintentionally alluring posture.

Tali's arms, like the rest of her body, were milky white with only the faintest hint of blue and purple hues. They were long and slender, ending in three elegant pianist's fingers. Shepard had seen first hand how supple and dexterous those digits could be, blurring across a control panel or fingering an omni-tool. Her libido chose the worst moment to wonder what else they could finger. After all, they were so long and flexible and...

Mentally slapping herself, Lucy placed more butterfly kisses across Tali's face. The girl's rose-petal lips were parted alluringly, but she resisted the urge to nurse them with her own, she didn't want to prolong her partner's suffering. Instead, she pulled back once again and curled her fingers into the shoulder cuffs of the Quarian's top. Shepard tugged gently...and nothing happened.

Something still held the suit in place, something she hadn't been able to reach. Of course...there must be seals on the back as well. Lucy winced, realising she'd have to turn Tali over, or stand her up. She really didn't want to move the young girl, but there was little choice.

"Tali..." she whispered, worming her arms under the Quarian to embrace her lovingly "Tali...I'm going to have to roll you onto your side."

The engineer had acclimatised slightly to the foreign feelings that assaulted her brain. After so long of touching nothing but the inside of her shell, Tali's skin was overwhelmed with all the new sensations and textures that pressed against it. She stifled another moan as fear and rapture mingled together in a confusing mess of emotion.

Numbly, she was able to focus for long enough to shift her weight and roll partially over. Lucy immediately spotted the small recessed dials spaced at regular intervals along the girl's spine. Cautiously, she reached out and hooked her finger into the release closest to her lover's head. Tali flinched as the spectre slowly turned the small knob, unclasping the first lock with a small click. Shepard quickly followed suit with the others, deftly prying open the seam along the engineers back. It parted slowly, starting at the base of the Quarian's neck and teasingly creeping downwards to reveal more and more creamy-pale skin.

Lucy was unable to resist her temptations any longer. As she undid the last dial, exposing a strip of bare flesh from top to bottom, the spectre softly pressed her mouth to the first vertebrae at the base of Tali's neck. The ridged bones were actually visible, pressing against the Quarian's taught, sensitive skin.

Tali whimpered plaintively as her lovers warm lips caressed the tip of her spine, electrifying every nerve in her body. The overwhelming tingle focused at the point of contact, steadily creeping down as Lucy kissed each bump in turn. The spectre moved thrillingly slowly, loving every patch on skin as if it were a separate person. After minutes of sweet suspense, the Commander reached Tali's tailbone, which peeped out just above her trouser line. Breathlessly, the Quarian awaited her partner's next move, fear forgotten in the face of such pleasure.

Lucy's tongue emerged from her mouth, trailing against the nerve cluster at the base of Tali's backbone. Like a searing jet of plasma, Shepard licked her way methodically back up the Quarian's spine, extracting more unintelligible noises of joy from the young girl.

"Oh Shepard..." Tali moaned, craning her neck to lock eyes with the spectre "Wha-What are you doing to me?"

The Commander smiled her charming smile and continued to kiss every bit of exposed flesh she could find.

"Whatever you want my love." she whispered, adding a sensual emphasis to the last word. Tali gulped uncertainly...what did she want? When it came to lovemaking, she was completely at her partner's mercy.

Shepard parted the open seam on the back on the enviro-suit, before guiding the Quarian down onto her back once more. Tali shuddered as the fabric of the sheets brushed her exposed skin, delighting in the friction she made with the cloth.

"I want you to make love to me Shepard," she crooned in that irresistible oriental accent "I-I realise now that my Pilgrimage is complete...I've finally found what I was searching for."

Lucy's response was completely unexpected. The spectre broke into a broad smile, which rapidly led into musical chuckles. Before long, she was laughing uncontrollably. Tali felt slightly perturbed by the display, she'd been hoping the response to her heartfelt confession would be a bit more...serious.

"I'm sorry..." Shepard apologised, wiping a stray tear from her eye "I shouldn't laugh...I just can't help it. What did I do to deserve someone as sweet as you Tali?"

In one fluidic motion, aided by both women, Tali's upper clothing was stripped away to clatter loudly to the floor. The Quarian lay there, naked from the waist up. Goose-bumps formed across her chest from the chill cabin air and she shivered slightly, although the motion was unrelated to the cold.

Lucy took a time out to examine every square inch of her lover. Her stomach was flat, with barely noticeable lumps where her abs graced the surface. The fleshy tissue gave way to taught skin that clung tightly to a partially visible ribcage. Shepard drank in every detail, from the concave shape her sides made with her hips, to the tiny crinkle of recessed skin that formed her belly button.

Inevitably however, Lucy's eyes were drawn to the pearly mounds that rose and fell rhythmically with the young girl's breathing. Tali's breasts were the perfect size for someone of her stature and were topped with the most adorable, rosebud-pink nipples that the spectre had ever seen. They were rock solid with arousal, and quivered slightly in the dim lighting, as if begging for her touch.

"Is something wrong, do you not like what you see?" Tali whispered, her voice faltering with uncertainty. Lucy forcibly tore her eyes away, blushing as she realized she'd been staring.

"No Tali, everything's absolutely perfect...including you."

The Quarian opened her mouth to tell the spectre just how much she loved her, but the words morphed into a wordless cry as Lucy lightly cupped her chest. Shepard's hands felt scorching against her starved flesh, like twin points of fire that burned the air from her lungs.

Lucy began to softly squeeze the young girl's breasts, gently pressing her fingers into the pliable tissue. Tali moaned loudly, unconsciously puffing her chest up in an effort to make greater contact with Shepard's hands. The spectre felt a heady thrill pulse through her body, mingled with passionate love for the young girl who now lay beneath her. Intoxicated, she let her head droop to place a series of wet kisses across the engineer's navel, coating it with saliva that pooled in the small dimple at its centre. By the time her fingers first brushed Tali's nipple, the Quarian's taught belly was glistening with moisture.

Her lover half-whimpered, half-cried as she felt nimble pads brushing against her hard little nub. The rough skin was stretched even tighter as more blood engorged the tip. Lucy could actually see Tali's aureole's darkening, the change coming suddenly as light pink was replaced with rich purple. In the centre, her nipple grew even more, now fully erect beneath the feathery strokes that Lucy teased it with. Shepard had never seen anything quite like it, no one else had responded this well to her touch before. Then again, Tali was not your average lover.

"Hold me Lucy!" the Quarian croaked between desperate gasps. Shepard complied, reluctantly relinquishing her prize to encircle Tali's belly with powerful arms. Lifting the young girl gingerly from the mattress, she tugged her into an upright position and cradled her closely against her own bosom. Twin, hard points pressed against Lucy's chest, sensually rubbing up and down in time with the Quarian's breathing. Tali fretted under her breath at the delicious feelings that shot from her nipples as they grazed across the Commander's uniform.

The spectre began necking against Tali's delicate jaw line. Tiny kisses and licks fluttered up and down the young girl's neck and occasionally strayed further upwards to nibble on her slightly pointed earlobe. Lucy had always enjoyed being the giver, and held no objection to the one sided lovemaking. Eventually though, when she was sure Tali had been sufficiently warmed up, she went for something a bit more bold.

Lowering the Quarian further back into her arms, she let her trail of caresses continue downwards, dipping into the hollow of Tali's collarbone. Lucy's mouth licked slowly down the valley of the young girl's chest, carefully avoiding contact with the trembling mounds on either side. Her nose pressed against the engineer's skin, inhaling the wonderful scent of another woman's body. Despite being entombed for so long, Tali smelt gorgeous, like a subtle blend of floral nectar mixed in with the merest hints of peppermint and lavender.

Lucy decided her lover had suffered enough. For the first time, the spectre's mouth ascended one of the Quarian's milky globes. Shepard could feel the warmth that radiated freely from deep within Tali's chest, coming straight from her galloping heart. Indeed, it felt like the young girl's love muscle was doing acrobatic back flips of joy.

"Pleeeeeeease Lucy!" Tali cried, shuddering expectantly in her arms.

It was impossible to deny the young Quarian, not that the Commander had any intention of doing so. Her kisses finally found their way to her prize, alighting with infinite tenderness on Tali's love-bud. Without further ado, Lucy slipped the erect nipple between her lips and suckled sweetly on the tip. The spectre's tongue coated the rough flesh with moisture which leaked from her mouth and rolled down the elegant contours of her lover's bosom.

Tali couldn't suppress the shriek of ecstasy that ripped from her throat like an unbridled beast. Looking down, she saw her lover's mouth clamped firmly across one of her breasts, those unfathomable green eyes still lovingly locked with her own. It was impossible for the Quarian to maintain enough strength in her muscles to remain upright. Instead, she slumped back to the bed with a heavy sigh of pleasure, relaxing into the intoxicating sensations that coursed through her entire body. Lucy bent down and continued to toy with the engineer's most sensitive areas, working her torso like a master musician would play their instrument of choice.

Tali lost track of time. Seconds rolled into minutes and for all she knew, Shepard had been sweetly tormenting her for hours already. It didn't matter, nothing mattered but the intense, overwhelming feelings that Lucy's lips teased from her flesh wherever they made contact. Whether she was planting languid kisses across the firm mounds, or softly chafing the little nubbin on top with maddeningly tender nibbles, the Quarian had been taken to another realm, where nothing but orgasmic pleasure existed.

"Lucy...oh Lucy..." Tali whispered, enthralled to the spectre's every move "I want to...I want to...ohhhhhhhhhh...see what is beneath your...ahhhh...your uniform!"

Shepard smiled coyly as the young Quarian desperately struggled to focus long enough to force the words out. Between the emotional shock of being exposed to a foreign environment and engaging in her first sexual encounter, Tali was literally unable to control herself. The engineer's chest heaved with laboured breathing as Lucy continued to knead at her breasts, rubbing the incredibly stiff nipples between thumb and forefinger.

Smiling, the spectre removed her hands momentarily; just long enough to slip her sweaty navy slacks over her head. As the shirt came off, her golden hair cascaded downwards like a waterfall of sunbeams to tease the Quarian's navel with countless tiny wisps of sensation. Tali gave a tremulous giggle as the strands tickled her sensitive flesh. The laughter died in her throat however as she drank in the sight of the naked skin that presented itself to her. Lucy's averagely sized bosom was still bound within the confines of her sports bra...something the young girl sought to rectify as quickly as possible.

Tali fastened her fingers around the undergarments catch with an almost reverent look on her face. She was unsure of how the clasp operated, never having worn a bra before, but she was an engineer and after a few clumsy attempts she was able to deduce how the fastening worked and slide the small hooks apart.

As the fabric fell away, the Quarian's expression changed from reverence to awe. Her mouth unconsciously fell open as all tension in her jaw relaxed from wonderment.

"Oh..." she whispered feebly, withdrawing her hand as if afraid to disturb the offering, "Oh wow..."

"Relax Tali, they don't bite." Lucy chuckled, hoping to reassure the uncertain Quarian. She seemed unsure of what to do next, instead just staring fixatedly at the spectre's breasts. Shepard began to feel a bit self conscious, reddening slightly across the flat of her chest from embarrassment. Tali reached out with an exploratory hand, tentatively hovering it in the air between the two women.

"Go ahead," the Commander whispered, yearning for the young girl's touch, "Don't be afraid...just do what feels natural."

"They're so big..." Tali murmured, still not quite willing to touch them, "Is this a natural size for your people?"

Lucy blushed a bit more.

"I-I never really thought they were that large." she replied, looking down at the pair with newfound fascination. Her own nipples were hard as pebbles, jutting out a good couple of centimetres from the surrounding dusting of pimples that made up her aureole. Apart from the islands of rosy pink, Lucy's skin was a rich, golden sandstone colour born of time spent planet-side under suns of varying intensity. The fluorescent lighting of the cabin made the spectre's flesh glow radiantly, as if that same sunlight shone from her every pore.

Tali swallowed her nerves and gingerly lay her hand against one of Lucy's breasts. Having spent most of her life handling cold, metallic machinery, or dealing with other suited Quarians, the soft, squishy feel of the mound was an alien sensation to the young engineer. Softly spreading her fingers to gently cup the golden globe, Tali marvelled at how warm it was. Heat pulsated through each of her three digits, travelling down her arm in a relaxing wave.

Lucy inhaled sharply, wanting to savour the first caresses her lover placed upon the intimate area. She'd never imagined quite how good it would feel...it had been so long since another had touched her this way.

"Ahhhhhh..." she sighed, craning her head back and as Tali experimentally massaged her left breast. The sounds of pleasure seemed to spur the inexperienced Quarian on, encouraging her to try new things. Her other hand fell snugly across Lucy's right bosom, taking up the kneading motion of the first.

"Am I doing okay?" Tali piped up eagerly, hoping the spectre was feeling some of the joy that she'd experienced earlier.

"Oh God...you could say that!" Shepard gasped, clamping her hands down on top of the engineers to force them further into her own pliable flesh. Beneath Lucy's grip, Tali shifted her fingers until she was lightly pinching the Commander's nipples between spindly fingertips. Remembering what the spectre had taught her, the young girl began to softly roll the hardened stones in tiny circular motions. Pride welled in her chest as Shepard cried out an indecipherable phrase that included the Quarian's name several times.

"Move your hands Lucy..." she pleaded, feeling emboldened by how well the spectre reacted "I want to taste you."

The Commander nodded breathlessly, letting her arms fall limply away. Tali immediately moved her own hands and before Shepard could protest, replaced them with her lips. The young Quarian still felt apprehensive, but that all changed as she felt her mouth latch over Lucy's hardened peach stones. Her nerves were replaced with a delightful euphoria as the spectre moaned even louder and began to shake in rolling waves from head to toe.

Tali worried away at the nipple, sucking softly and occasionally daring to stroke her tongue across the rough surface. Everything she did seemed to delight her lover more and it wasn't long before she'd settled into her new role. Lucy suddenly arched her back, causing more delicious friction between the two women's abdomens and forcing her breasts against the startled Quarian's face. The soft flesh was suffocating, but it just gave Tali an excuse to reach and playfully massage her partner's chest. Switching to the other tip, the engineer continued to caress Lucy's nipple between her lips with all the passion of a starving woman presented with a feast.

"I-I-I thought you said that...that you hadn't done this before!" the Commander groaned, feeling her spine tense and relax uncontrollably as pleasure surged down its length.

"I haven't," Tali mumbled, muffled by the flesh she'd buried her mouth in "I just have a wonderful teacher."

"In that case..." Lucy whispered, carefully withdrawing her glistening breasts from the young Quarian's mouth "I think it's time for my star pupil to learn a little bit more."

Tali giggled softy, but couldn't quite hide her disappointment at having the spectre's gorgeous bosom removed.

"I'm going to have to take the rest of your suit off," Shepard apologised "I'll make it as quick as possible."

The Quarian nodded, and was surprised that the idea did not scare her at all. Perhaps it was the anticipation of finding out what happened next, or maybe just the fact that Lucy was always so gentle with her...either way, the fear had evaporated. Tali trusted the spectre with her life and with her heart...there was no reason not to entrust her body to the woman as well.

The Commander pushed back the covers and slid from her perch on the engineers hips. She felt the excitement building deep within her...this was a very special moment. With utmost care, she undid the last straps that kept Tali's reinforced boots locked to her feet. The plate metal squeaked in protest, but offered little resistance to being stripped away. Once both items of footwear had been removed and bundled off the end of the bed, Lucy turned her attention to the polymer sleeve that was her partner's last item of clothing. Shepard was certain the young girl didn't realize how sexy she looked, with her bare top half and dressed only in form-fitting stockings. She tore her eyes away before they became too entranced and focused on the seam that ran the length of Tali's leg.

The next few minutes passed in a dreamlike state. Lucy's mind wandered as she mechanically went through the motions of unzipping and unclasping all the seals. About five minutes later, the garment was free.

Shepard slowly peeled back the fabric and Tali slipped one elegant, alien leg from the confines of the suit. The spectre gasped with a mixture of curiosity and wonderment. Throughout all their lovemaking, it had been so easy to forget that the Quarian was from an entirely different race. Lucy had already become completely accustomed to the complexion of her skin, and apart from that everything about the young girl seemed so...human.

This was a glaringly obvious reminder that while she and Tali shared many things, there were some fundamental differences. The engineer's leg reminded the Commander of a cat, with its incredibly high ankle joint that came just several inches after her knee. This double-jointedness leant Tali's limbs a pleasingly aesthetic curve, which terminated in a beautifully crafted, two-toed foot.

Lucy carefully took the leg in her hands, handling it with the same delicacy as some ancient, Prothean artefact. Her fingers ran up and down its length, feeling every bump and groove. Fingers were quickly followed by lips as Shepard kissed her way from the raised ankle joint, all the way along to the tip of each splayed toe. Tali wriggled helplessly at the tickling sensation that Lucy's mouth caused against the newly exposed skin. The spectre took pity on the girl, and halted her teasing to give the Quarian time to extricate her other leg.

By now, the only part of the engineer's body that remained covered was the sensual swell of her hips and upper thighs. Lucy hesitated, nervous about removing the last vestiges of clothing. It felt like she was trespassing on some sacred place...somewhere pure and untarnished by another's touch. In a way, it was true.

The soft, musical sound of Tali's voice tugged her from her reverie.

"I'm ready Lucy..." the Quarian whispered, as if reading Shepard's mind.

The spectre didn't need to be told twice. All it took was a small tug to slide the engineer's leggings from under her, and then they too were discarded onto the deck. Tali sighed softly, as if she was finally relieved of some great weight on her shoulders.

"Oh Lucy!" she cried, a burble of laughter escaping from her lips "It's so wonderful to be free again!"

Before Shepard could examine what she'd uncovered, Tali had encircled her neck and with surprising force, pulled her up the length of her body. The Commander's shock increased as her breasts were crushed firmly against the Quarian's own bosom. A synchronised cry of unexpected pleasure came from both women at the feeling of tender flesh colliding. The sensation intensified as the young engineer began to shift her chest, rubbing both sets of nipples around each other in tiny circles. Rough skin met rough skin and chapped together in a wonderfully pleasing way.

Lucy drew Tali's lips to her own like an unseen magnetic force, capturing them with fierce intensity as lust slowly unwound in the pit of her stomach. Her eyes clouded with a fiery desire to finally take the Quarian and make the young girl hers forever. Shepard forced a questing hand between their two tightly pressed bodies and began to wriggle it down Tali's belly towards her unexplored nether regions.

Comprehension dawned on the engineer's face as she realised, with a thrill, where her lover's fingers were sliding towards.

"Don't...hurt...me...Lucy." she husked, barely able to formulate a complete sentence anymore.

"Never!" the spectre hissed with total conviction.

Then Shepard's fingertips lightly ran through a small patch of wiry-black hair and finally reached their destination. A lustful touch curled lazily across the top of her slit, just grazing the tiny love bead that poked timidly from the fleshy folds.

Tali felt every nerve ending in her body catch fire and she screamed Lucy's name at the top of her lungs.

In an orgasmic trance, the young Quarian could only buck wildly as great rolling waves of pleasure overcame her every muscle. Shepard's face was the only constant in her world, swimming like a heavenly vision just above her tear-clouded eyes. More touches came, slipping through her bush and alighting tenderly upon the young girl's sensitive little nub. Tali screamed again, babbling out in her native tongue with words of love for the woman that pressed down on top of her.

Lucy ran her fingertips in tiny circles across the tender dot of flesh, feeling something impossibly powerful building within her as well. It was like a dull pressure that squeezed at her groin from within, steadily intensifying as she played her fingers through the soaked folds of skin. Tali's juices coated her fingers and ran off the young girl's glistening thighs in tiny rivulets, coating the spectre's bed in a sticky mess.

It was evident that the Quarian wasn't going to last much longer if Shepard kept up her current pace. Tali's eyes had rolled back into her head, leaving nothing but glimpses of milky white behind fluttering lids. Her jaw was locked open but she'd long since screamed herself hoarse, leaving only the sound of tiny gasps of air escaping her lungs. Lucy was having a hard time keeping the engineer on the mattress as she violently reared herself up and down in great, undulating waves.

The spectre finally took pity on her. Lucy cradled Tali's head against her shoulder with her free arm and slid the other one down even further. The young Quarian took a tremulous, shuddering breath as the Commander's palm grazed across the engorged bundle of nerves. Shepard slipped her fingers through Tali's outer lips, and felt the fleshy folds grip the digits tightly just as her partner's mouth had done those several hours previously. That felt like a whole other life right now.

"I love you." she whispered, sending her warm breath flooding into the Quarian's ear.

Lucy slid her first, lubricated finger deep into the tiny opening. Muscular walls gripped it snugly on all sides, trying to suck the digit even further inside. The young girl was almost painfully tight, and the violent contractions felt like they may pop Shepard's finger from its socket.

Having caught her breath, Tali released it once again as an ecstatic wail that rose in volume and pitch the second Lucy began to wiggle her finger against the Quarian's sensitive interior wall. The young engineer tensed every muscle in her body, forcing her back from the bed and clamping down hard on the spectre's wriggling digit. Powerful tremors gripped the girl and her eyes flew open to stare unblinkingly at the ceiling.

Tali's climax opened the metaphorical floodgates and even as great torrents of tears cascaded down her face, Lucy felt a deluge of more intimate fluid soaking her entire hand layering the Quarian's upper legs with deliciously warm nectar. Shepard's lover's chest rose and fell spasmodically, wracked with sobs as the young girl came down from her first orgasm.

The spectre let her spent partner fall back softly onto the bunk. Tali's hair lay in a tangled mess that partially hid her beautifully serene expression of contentment. Salty trails still ran from the corners of her delicately closed eyes, marring the otherwise unblemished skin. She didn't respond when Lucy went to wipe away a few straggling tears, and the Commander realised that her lover had blacked out. Apparently it had been one pleasure too far for the young Quarian.

Smiling tenderly at her dozing engineer, Lucy idly licked the residue of their lovemaking off her fingertips. She'd tasted other women's essence before, but never anything quite as sweet Tali's; and never under such beautiful circumstances. Making love to the young girl had been an unbelievable, almost spiritual experience; one the she knew she could never regret, no matter what happened.

After savouring the last of the delicious fluids that coated her hand, Shepard gently rolled Tali onto one side before snuggling up against the engineer's bare back. Spooning her softly from behind, Lucy giggled at how sticky both the bed and her lover felt. She'd regret not cleaning that up in the morning, but for now it was worth it. With the comforting feeling of her breasts nestled firmly against her sweet lover's back, the spectre sank into a deep sleep.

* * *

Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Penthanar took his job very seriously. Being head of the admiralty board was more than just a ceremonial position; his decisions affected the lives of every individual in the migrant fleet. While he was not technically a leader, more a chairman, that knowledge did little to make his days any less frantic or taxing. Wearily massaging his aching temples, he turned back to the bank of monitors that adorned the walls of the bridge.

The Penthanar was the flagship and pride of the Flotilla, home to whichever Quarian held Rael's stressful job. The vessel was actually a heavily repaired and retrofitted Turian dreadnaught that the migrant fleet had stumbled upon a few decades ago. It had been gutted and left for scrap in some backwater sector, abandoned by a race with enough resources to simply build a replacement. To the Quarians however, there was no such luxury, and they'd eagerly seized upon the opportunity to add such a potent icon to their navy.

Repairs had taken the best part of three years, not to mention all the work that went into converting a weapon of war into a vessel fit for families to inhabit. Despite the more civilian modifications, the dreadnaught was still a force to be reckoned with. Over the years, more and more armour plating and weaponry had been bolted across the titan's hull, transforming the once graceful ship into a mass of ragtag metal. It wasn't pretty, but it could sure kick the ass of any small time privateers that saw the migrant fleet as a sitting duck.

The bridge was a purely functional affair, embodying the Quarian philosophy of beauty second. It was a hive of activity, with crew members constantly squeezing their way along narrow pathways between the cramped equipment and readout displays that littered the floor. As with everything in the Flotilla, space was a valuable commodity. Diagnostic stations from all areas of the ship had been crammed in to make more room for living quarters on the other decks.

"Get me a report," he barked, his gravely tone making him sound harsher than he actually felt "Are we synchronised for the jump?"

"The last stragglers are closing now Admiral." one of the junior officers reported from his position at the nose of the command deck. The young Quarian was wearing his environment suit, an increasingly popular custom. Rael despised this new trend; they shouldn't have to feel like outsiders on their own ships...this was their home. The admiral refused to don the survival gear unless absolutely necessary, hoping his example might lead others away from becoming isolationists, as he liked to call them.

"Twenty seconds out." another reported, her female features not encumbered with a bulky breathing apparatus. Rael hadn't seen her before...she must only have just completed her Pilgrimage to join the crew.

For the fifteenth time that day, the admiral found his thoughts drifting to his own little girl, out there somewhere amongst the stars. He always told himself there was nothing to fear, Tali was headstrong, youthful and skilled at her trade. Still...there were always a few who never returned. Rael offered up a silent prayer to his ancestors that they would watch over his daughter and return her safely to the migrant fleet where she belonged.

The old Quarian was so wrapped up in his personal thoughts, that he didn't immediately notice the change that had occurred on the bridge. When he finally shook himself free of paternal concerns, he found the display he'd been glancing at had malfunctioned. Cursing under his breath, Rael banged a three-fingered fist on the thick glass monitor, hoping to jolt it back into life. Nothing happened.

He turned away, and immediately noticed that something was wrong. The entire command deck had stopped dead, frozen in place by some unseen force. Every computer was hung, every crew member had stopped dead in their tracks, some trapped in positions they couldn't possibly remain balanced in for this long.

"What the hell?" Rael muttered, approaching the young girl who had reminded him of Tali. She appeared outwardly fine, except for an obvious lack of movement. It was as if time had simply stopped for everyone on the bridge except him.

"I thought you Quarians didn't believe in eternal torment," said a disembodied voice behind the admiral.

"Son of a bitch!" Rael swore, spinning around to face his adversary. It took him a second to locate the humanoid figure amongst the jungle of electronics, despite his bizarre garb. Judging from the intruders figure and voice, he was male...but definitely not Quarian.

"Actually I think you'll mind my mother was not a female canine." the man replied in the same, polite tone he'd used before. He slowly approached Rael, feet making an odd clanging sound on the deck. The clothes he wore were unlike anything the Quarian had ever seen; certainly not practical for space travel. He was dressed in what appeared to be a white shirt and waistcoat, tucked into a pair of smart black trousers that looked recently pressed. Over the top, he wore an equally black tailcoat that perfectly matched the wide brimmed, glossy top hat that swathed his face in shadow. The admiral wouldn't recognize it, but the man was the splitting image of a Victorian era melodrama villain in his creaseless, antiquated attire.

As the gentleman stepped into a more harshly lit section of the bridge, Rael gasped with shock. He was neither human, nor Turian, nor any other race that the old Quarian had ever seen before. Light reflected off the polished metal that made up the man's face. His 'skin' was smooth, intersected by small furrows that indicated where one plate finished and the next one began. All the standard humanoid features were there...nose, mouth and unnervingly unblinking eyes. The only difference was the lack of cladding across his chin...there was simply a metallic, skeletal lower jaw, complete with rows of silvery teeth which gleamed wickedly.

The stranger was a synthetic.

Irrational fear clawed at Rael's stomach. The robotic man had made no attempt to harm him, apart from apparently freezing time for the entire Flotilla. Nevertheless, every Quarian knew what synthetics were capable of...their hatred for the Geth never having diminished during all their time in exile. The man did not look like one of their old servants, but who knew how they'd changed during their two hundred years beyond the veil.

"Who are you?" seemed like a good opening question, just beating 'What do you want?' and 'How, by my ancestors, did you get onto the bridge?'

"Straight to the point I see," the man said, smiling mirthlessly at the Quarian admiral "Simply put, I am someone you would do very well to listen to."

"Are you indeed?" Rael replied sarcastically, annoyed that the stranger thought he could dish out orders on the admiral's own flagship "That's all well and good, but I was thinking more along the lines of a name and a reason for boarding my vessel."

"My name is irrelevant and my motives shall become clear," came the clipped reply, revealing nothing whatsoever.

"Well then," the Quarian replied, trying to sound brash and confident. "I'm listening..."

"I am a buyer and seller of information Mr. Zorah and I have come into possession of a piece you might find most interesting."

Rael recalled hearing reports of such a trader from others who had visited the Citadel on their Pilgrimage...called himself the Shadow Broker.

"They told me you only ever work through agents," he blurted out before he could stop himself. Blast...he'd just let the opposition get a glimpse of his hand.

"Ordinarily, that is true, yes," the figure conceded, catching Rael off guard "Although you may not be aware of it admiral, these are extraordinary times...I found it necessary to contact you personally."

Some explanation that was...at least he'd confirmed his identity.

"They also told me your secrets come at a high price...do I look as if I have free money just floating around?"

"No...but as I said, extraordinary times. Besides, this particular tidbit would be of little value to anyone besides yourself. It concerns your daughter."

"Tali..." Rael breathed, instantly nervous. "What have you done with her?"

"I assure you, I have had no dealings with her of any kind. She is perfectly fine...better in fact than you might think."

"And what does that mean?" the admiral said, flustered at not being in control of the situation, or himself.

"You'll just have to find out for yourself," the Shadow Broker said with the same humourless smile "I can give you the coordinates of the ship she is on, as well as it's flight path and intended destination. If I were you, I'd get there as fast as I could."

"Why? Is she in danger?"

The Shadow Broker brushed a small fleck of dust off one of the frozen Quarian's before replying.

"Time is money admiral; I have loitered too long already."

In the brief moment it took for Rael to blink, the information dealer had disappeared. In his place was the usual bustle of the bridge, returned to normal upon his departure.

"We're ready to initiate the jump admiral," came the pilot's report, as if nothing untoward had happened.

Rael felt distinctly shaken, something he hadn't experienced in a long while. Was he really willing to divert the entire migrant fleet to chase after his daughter on the word of some shifty stranger?

Tali was his only child. The answer was yes.

"Negative," he yelled, alarming the nearby navigation officer "Bring her around, I've got new coordinates."


	7. Chapter 7: Jack The Ripper

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 7 – Jack The Ripper**

Superficially, the room was just like any other executive office. A large, one-way window allowed the fortunate occupant to admire the striking vista of the Citadel arms in all their majestic glory. This was a rare luxury, but not uncommon amongst the rich elite that were lucky enough to own penthouse apartments around the circumference of the presidium ring. The décor too spoke of someone exceedingly wealthy, although this particular individual appeared to prefer more subtle, simplistic aesthetics than most. All the walls were panelled with real hardwood, and actual honest-to-God carpet covered the entire floor. Mahogany tables and desks blended seamlessly with high-tech computers and huge, wall mounted monitors. It was a perfect balance between the old and the new...just the way the room's owner liked it.

The Shadow Broker stood rather than sat. He had no need for comfort...his mechanical limbs never tired, just like the rest of his body. That was something of an advantage in a job such as his...a business where you had to be constantly alert. Monopolising the information trade in the seat of galactic politics was no mean feat...lies were a dime a dozen here and it took a keen mid to sift the gold nuggets from the silt.

Gazing through the glass wall at a passing Volus trading vessel, he identified its serial number in the blink of an eye. X-327K...he had three agents and two informants aboard that particular ship. There was no point in posting any more; it was an unimportant little craft which only ever made trips between the Citadel and the Volus homeworld. Still, it never paid to overlook anything completely...secrets surfaced in the most unexpected of places and as always, he would be the first to know when one did.

The grubby cargo ship departed as the Shadow Broker withdrew a pack of Cuban cigars. Widely considered to be the finest in the galaxy, they were only available on special import from the human homeworld. Each one cost as much as a session with the consort. He'd acquired a lifetime supply after one of his agents had dug up a rather nasty little story about the head of the manufacturing plant and a certain Turian's wife. After that it had been a simple extortion job and now every month, a small, unmarked shuttle delivered the choicest crates to a privately owned wharf.

Of course he'd had to have his agent killed...it was the usual way if someone discovered something that was of direct interest to the Broker himself. Covering his tracks was vital...and thankfully easy for someone of his position.

There was a saying that no matter where you went, you were never more than five metres away from one of the Shadow Broker's information sources. Amongst those to whom the sensitive knowledge might actually be relevant, it was more like three metres. The Citadel was rife with people willing to squeal for a little cash in hand...not to mention how archaic some database security systems were.

The Shadow Broker clamped one end of the cigar in his skeletal, metallic jaw and the self-lighting tip burst into flame. It was times like these he was thankful for his lack of organic weaknesses. He had no lungs for the smoke to befoul, nor a tongue with which to taste its acrid, choking flavour. Other races however, did, and he found the habit made most people decidedly uncomfortable. It was a small advantage, but one that could be gained with no extra effort on his part. Instead, his unblinking red eyes stared fixatedly through the grey wisps of soot and out down one of the vast Wards. There could be no doubt...this station was eating from the palm of his chromed hand.

A brief buzz of an intercom from his desk interrupted the synthetic's musings. Irritated at being disturbed, he jabbed the receive button venomously.

"Knowledge is power," came the familiar callsign his agents used to identify themselves.

"Hide it well." he replied tersely, indicating they were alone.

The door slid open and a portly Volus stepped nervously into the office. To Barla Von, the Shadow Broker was no more than a dark figure, silhouetted against the Citadel's awesome bulk. The only source of light within the room was the faintly glowing tip of the imposing man's cigar. The Volus hated that particular habit...the smoke clogged his air filters if he remained in it's presence for too long. No doubt his employer knew that...he knew everything, especially the weaknesses of those who he worked with most closely.

Swallowing his misgivings, Barla Von made his way to the line of red felt that ran horizontally across the carpeted floor. No one crossed that line...ever. In fact, the Volus was one of a select few who ever got to 'meet' the Shadow Broker. He knew he should be honoured, but it was more a burden than anything else. A man who went to such efforts to remain hidden had to ensure those who were aware of his location would not be at liberty to divulge it. There were probably about a million different ways the Broker could silence him...should he ever be foolish enough to betray the information dealer.

Barla Von was a smart man however; smart enough to realize those who crossed the shadowy figure did not live to tell the tale. Fist was but one example of that fact...and the Volus was sure Saren would soon be a second. It was because of this that he had to choose his next words very carefully.

"You requested a meeting," the Shadow Broker began, skipping the pleasantries, "And I have obliged...please say your part."

"I would like permission to speak candidly sir," Barla Von began, suddenly wondering if this was a bad idea.

"Why my friend, without free speech we'd be out of business." the Broker replied without a hint of sarcasm. That was the problem with synthetics...they were impossible to read. For all the banker knew, there were already several guns pointed in his direction.

Taking the comment as a request to proceed, Barla Von continued.

"I am aware that I am but a humble middle man...but if I may be so bold...I-I have to question the wisdom of your recent actions."

Ouch...those words were going to cost him.

"You feel that my current trend of delivering information for free is unwise Mr. Von?" the Shadow Broker said emotionlessly. He'd called the banker 'Mr. Von'; that wasn't good.

"I-I-I merely wanted to enquire as to the reasoning for this surprising display of...generosity."

Wreathed in shadow, the mechanical man's features were inscrutable.

"Barla...you of all people should know there is _no_ such thing as free information. Just because financial gain is not made, do not think for one moment that I gave these people something for nothing. Believe it or not...I did this for the good of the galaxy as a whole."

"I don't understand," the Volus protested, wishing that he could wipe the cold sweat from his brow.

"You see, there is more to my trade than credits...something a banker may find hard to grasp. Money is a bonus yes, but the real goal Barla...is power. By sowing the seeds of ideas amongst others, I am able to guide their paths down routes that I desire. The rewards of such a venture are far greater than if I had forced them to offer up material wealth in exchange for my services."

"But how does alerting a Quarian Admiral to the whereabouts of his daughter stand to benefit anyone? Surely his interference will just hinder Shepard's progress."

The Shadow Broker gestured for the Volus to be silent. Barla von obeyed immediately.

"That is a certain piece of information that I alone am privy too. Lest we forget you are but 'the middle man' and as such do not have the full picture of galactic events. Suffice to say I have some experience when it comes to these matters and you would do well to trust my judgement."

The banker gulped and fell silent. He realized now that the meeting had been a mistake...he'd be lucky to escape with his life.

"Thank you sir, I will not impinge upon your time any longer."

The Shadow Broker remained silent...time to leave. As the Volus waddled away, the mechanical man toyed with the idea of drugging him. It would be a simple matter to erase his entire recollection of this brief conversation. In the end, he decided against it. As always, he had been careful to ensure that nothing but the illusion of answers had been divulged...just enough to convince the banker that he'd gotten what he wanted.

Turning back to the window and extinguishing the expensive cigar, the Broker smiled ever so slightly. Everything was playing out as anticipated.

When the Reapers came, his place at their side would be assured.


	8. Chapter 8: Sorrow

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 8 – Sorrow**

Liara T'soni sat at the small computer desk in her makeshift work area, face illuminated by the flickering glow of the screen. Images of Prothean architecture that would normally enthral the scientist barely registered, failing to penetrate the glazed surface of her eyes. Her head rested lightly against her graceful hands as she stared into nothingness with a wistful look dancing across her delicate features. Liara had always enjoyed the chance to reflect quietly in solitude, using the time to go back over whatever discoveries she'd made that day. Recently though, she found her musings focusing less and less on the alien race she practically worshipped...instead shifting to something else that she regarded just as reverently.

Tonight, Lucy occupied the entirety of her thoughts. It had become one of Liara's favourite pastimes to run through little scenarios in her head...to envision what might happen if she encountered the spectre in different situations. In her mind, she was free of the nerves and self-doubts that tormented her in real life; she was able to express how she truly felt without sounding like a babbling fool. Deep down, she knew these daydreams were not realistic...but that didn't stop her hoping.

Each mental simulation always ended the same way. Invariably, she would feel the burning touch of Lucy's hand against the back of her neck as the spectre embraced her. Liara would feel Shepard's breath in her ear...hear the other woman whisper that she was hers forever. Then...ever so softly...Lucy's lips would captivate her own in a rapturous kiss that would leave the Asari weak in the knees and begging for more.

Just the idea caused the scientist's eyes to mist over with desire. Ever since Shepard had kissed her on Verdus, her daydreams had taken on an almost lifelike clarity. Liara's mind took that brief sensation of Lucy's mouth against her own and extrapolated it into something so beautiful; her heart ached from its absence.

The Asari maiden was so caught up with the imaginary Lucy that she failed to recognize when the real one stepped through the door. It was only when the other woman coughed that she realized someone else was there.

Liara started at the noise, and quickly rose from her seat. When she saw who it was, she felt the heat in her cheeks begin to rise considerably. The lingering taste of the spectre's imagined mouth still occupied her tongue and made it difficult to avoid looking guilty.

"Are you okay Liara?" Lucy asked, stepping closer to the Asari with an undecipherable glint in her eyes "You look a bit pale and shaken."

"I..." the maiden began, desperately trying to find a plausible excuse "I'm fine, I just...I..."

Lucy took pity on Liara and didn't press her for an answer.

"Guess I'm not the only one having trouble sleeping."

The spectre seemed uncharacteristically nervous, fumbling slightly over her words in much the same way Liara did when she was in the presence of her unrequited beloved. It was impossible to tell in the dim light from the computer monitor, but the Asari could swear that Lucy's cheeks were tinged red in a blush that rivalled her own. Liara decided to bite the bullet and enquire further.

"Do you have any idea why you are unable to rest?"

Lucy seemed momentarily alarmed that the maiden had picked up on her jitters. Her cheeks darkened even more and she seemed unable to meet Liara's gaze.

"Well I, um...I've been having these rather unusual dreams..."

"Nightmares?" The Asari knew only too well how painful they could be, and felt a rush of empathy for the Commander.

"No...no..." Lucy said, struggling to find the right way to express herself "They wake me up but they're not unpleasant. On the contrary they're a bit, um...a bit too enjoyable."

"What do you dream about Shepard?" Liara realised her persistence could be considered rude by human standards. Inwardly cursing, she prayed that Lucy would let her temporary lack of manners slide.

Shepard was staring at the floor now, her blush completely visible even in the poor lighting. Liara saw herself mirrored in the spectre's hesitance...a timid, self-conscious woman who found it hard to express the way she...she...

Oh Goddess...

Somehow, the Asari maiden knew the words were coming before they'd left Lucy's lips. The moment of clarity did absolutely nothing to lessen the impact of what she heard when Shepard spoke, her voice hoarse with barely suppressed emotion.

"You Liara..." she croaked, shrugging into herself from embarrassment "I dream about you."

The Asari's breath caught in her throat and for a panicked second the room seemed to spin like a nauseating merry-go-round. She couldn't quite comprehend what she was hearing...Lucy dreamt...about her! Liara's mind froze and her body decided to take things into its hands. Unconsciously, she took a step towards the spectre and found herself mere inches from the woman she'd wanted for so long.

"And what...do you dream...about me?" Her voice was husky and laced with desire. Liara's words did not feel like her own but they were having the desired effect.

Lucy raised her eyes to capture the maiden's gaze for the first time since she'd entered. Liara quailed at the raw emotion she saw staring back at her...a love so powerful that she sensed it within her own mind.

"This..." Shepard whispered breathlessly.

Time slowed for both women as the spectre drew Liara's form into a soul-binding embrace. The Asari felt lightheaded and fought against the urge to simply collapse into Lucy's arms. The only thing that prevented her fainting was the infinite warmth of Shepard's hand, possessively planting itself on the ridged back of her neck. It was happening...oh Goddess be praised...all her dreams were coming true.

Liara felt humid air waft across her cheek...she could sense Lucy's mouth mere centimetres from her aching flesh.

"I love you Liara," the Commander whispered "I want to be yours forever...for our hearts to beat as one for all eternity. Will...will you join with me?"

Words finally deserted the young Asari...but at that moment she had no need for them. Everything that needed to be said was conveyed through the tears that began to flow freely from her eyes. She didn't try to stifle them; all she could do was watch with blossoming joy as Lucy's lips descended towards her own. With boldness born from an indescribably beautiful feeling of acceptance, Liara covered the last tiny distance separating them and initiated a kiss that threatened to immolate both women in a firewall of passion.

Liara's tears came thicker than ever as all the love she'd been restraining for so long flowed from her body by any means possible. She kissed the spectre again, willing every last drop into Lucy's receptive heart. Shepard responded by deepening the kiss, her tongue gently opening Liara's azure lips and forcing a squeak of delight from the bookish Asari. If anyone had seen them, they'd be left in no doubt that the two were soul-mates...that destiny had led them to each other's arms.

As Liara kissed her beloved again and again, she found it impossible to remember how she'd lived all this time without Lucy's breathtaking body pressed against hers. Now that she realised the Commander returned her affection with an equal intensity, the thought of them ever being apart was too painful to even consider. It didn't matter though...her life was perfect so long as Lucy was hers.

Perfect...

Perfect.

* * *

Liara awoke from her emotionally induced slumber with moisture still prickling her eyes. What had previously been tears of unimaginable happiness quickly became tears of heartbreak as the realization that she'd been dreaming washed over her. Her first instinct was to scream...scream at the top of her lungs and not stop until her dying breath passed her lips...scream from the anguish that gripped her like an ice-cold fist.

Instead, Liara collapsed back onto her bed and wept uncontrollably. She'd never felt so lonely in her entire life...and now this false sense of loss was more than she could bear.

"I just...I just want to...to..." she sobbed under her breath "Please Goddess...I-I don't know how I can go another day without her."

The near-silence of the Normandy night shift answered Liara's heartfelt pleas, offering no comfort or solace of any kind. Still crying softly, the broken maiden hugged her pillow to her chest and buried her face in its folds. In this position, she could almost believe that she was cradling Lucy in her arms; her head nestled against the spectre's soft bosom.

Almost...

It wasn't right; none of what she felt made any sense. How long had she known this woman? No more than a week and yet it felt like Lucy had been with her for as long as she could remember. It seemed as if Liara's entire life had been leading up to the moment when they'd met...she should have realised when the other woman's mind touched her own that there was something special about her. Looking back on it now there'd been countless little signs; emotions that the maiden had never felt before except when she stood at the spectre's side.

Unlike the whimsical, love-struck notion of dream-joining, the idea of soul mates was one that was widely accepted in the Asari culture. Their races philosophy held that everyone was connected by a web of spiritual links that transcended the physical world...everyone existed in some form or another in this higher plane. To refer to someone as a soul-mate took on a more literal meaning in this context. They were one who linked directly to you in this vast network of emotional energy...the being whose soul was closest to your own. Sometimes it was another Asari, but for the most part this mysterious figure was lost in the far depths of the galaxy...possibly even a member of an as yet undiscovered race.

Many of Liara's people undertook a journey at some point in their vast lifetime...to try and search for this special person who they shared something so unique with. Indeed, some Asari spent all their allotted centuries fruitlessly searching...only to be left bereft once the realisation sank in that the endeavour was like searching for a needle in an ocean. The scientist had always pitied those who tried. Like most, she'd hoped to find the one someday...but the logical part of her brain successfully convinced her that there was no point looking for that which won't be found. Instead, she'd buried herself away in her work...satisfying the longing to search by hunting down the more tangible pieces of Prothean history.

Sadly, it seemed that fate had a sadistically malicious sense of humour. Liara's soul-mate had been delivered almost literally into her lap in circumstances that seemed perfect for a textbook romance. The Asari had not recognised how deeply ensnared she was until the agonising pangs of loneliness set in. There was no way any ordinary person could make her feel so bereft in such a short space of time. Liara understood now what the matriarchs had meant when they told her that 'She'd know.'

It was unheard of for an Asari who had found this unique individual to do anything but fall passionately in love with them...and for the feeling to be reciprocated. Liara had once seen a couple who had visited her mother on some official business; a middle-aged Asari and a young Turian female. It was after seeing how deeply bound they were that she'd first thought to question Benezia on the subject.

_"Mother...I could not help but notice the look in Adnina's eyes when she looked at Caecilia...do you think they are Joined?"_

_ Benezia smiled at her daughter's innocence; it was such a wondrous gift for a woman of her age to receive._

_ "They're soul-mates Little-Wing," she explained with the infinite patience a mother bestowed upon her only child "It means their love was the will of destiny...and yes, they are most definitely Joined."_

_ The young Liara seemed to ponder something for a second before replying._

_ "Do you think I will find my soul-mate mother?"_

_ Benezia looked down fondly at the little girl and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. She didn't answer the question with words...as with all things, only time would tell._

That thought alone was what kept Liara going. While her mother may have opted for the path of villainy, it didn't make the kind words of the woman she once was any less true. Liara clung desperately to the idea that despite what it may seem, she and Lucy were fated to be together one day. Focusing on that helped stem the flow of tears slightly and even brought tiny, tremulous smile to her lips as she cried herself to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9: The Gathering Storm

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 9 – The Gathering Storm**

Lucy Shepard hefted the enviro-suit chest plate, grunting at how surprisingly heavy it was. She'd barely registered its bulk during her passion fuelled escapades, but now the damned thing seemed to weigh almost as much as its owner.

"I don't like this," Lucy commented sadly, fixing Tali with a pained look "It seems criminal to shut away someone so beautiful..."

The Quarian blushed, this time displaying the darkened hue in all its glory. Lucy could see now how the flush spread across her chest, just brushing the tops of the engineer's delectable breasts. The sight made Shepard's mouth water; it brought back all the wonderful memories of last night and the morning afterwards. She'd awoken to the sweetest kiss Tali had given her yet and it wasn't long before the lovemaking escalated. God...those fingers were even better than she'd dreamt. Her legs still felt weak in the knees and with the added weight she bore in her arms it was all she could manage to simply stand upright.

Coughing as she pulled herself back to reality, Lucy hauled the chest piece over to her lover. She gazed with longing at the expanse of milky flesh she was about to conceal. Okay...maybe not just longing. Despite her best efforts, the spectre was unable to resist placing a single farewell kiss on each rosy nipple.

"I'll be seeing you again soon." she murmured as the rough flesh rubbed sensually against her lips. The sensation was intoxicating and the small moan that escaped Tali's throat was not helping her self-control. It took every ounce of willpower the Commander possessed to stop her undoing all her work and stripping the young girl naked again for another passionate session.

Sadly though, she didn't have that luxury. The Quarian vaccine boosters Tali had taken before coming to her quarters the previous day would wear off within the hour. After that, there would be no way to guarantee the engineer's safety.

Fitting the top to Tali's torso was harder than it looked and it took much fumbling and shuffling around before it finally resumed its original skin-tight position. Lucy grabbed the last two belts and lashed them across the Quarian's lower chest. They fit snugly but Shepard still took the time to adjust them, undoubtedly due to how her fingers pressed softly against Tali's bosoms each time she did.

"You're insatiable Lucy," the engineer giggled. "Not that I'm complaining."

Feeling emboldened by all the kind words the spectre had shared with her, Tali planted a playful kiss on her lover's lips. Humour quickly became surprised joy when Lucy hungrily returned the gesture. Several more minutes were lost as the tender kiss captured both women and submersed them in the love they shared for each other.

"I don't know how I'll manage without the feeling of your lips on mine," the Quarian said sadly "Thank you Lucy...for introducing me to the most special moments of my life."

"You make it sound like we're never going to see each other again." Shepard commented. It was meant as a joke, but hearing the words scared her more than she let on. Up until this point, she'd avoided discussing or even thinking about what would happen when Tali's Pilgrimage ended. Deep down, Lucy hoped that the love they shared may be enough to keep then together. Was she being selfish? It certainly seemed like it...hoping the Quarian would abandon her entire race, her way of life just to make the spectre happy.

'Tali wants this too,' she reminded herself. 'She loves you Lucy and if you want her to stay, you should damn well love her back with all your heart.'

Guilt clawed at her insides. She still hadn't given Tali the Geth data she'd gathered on Verdus. Lucy kept telling herself that she was waiting for the right moment but now she knew that wasn't the reason. The fact was she was terrified that if she handed it over, her darling engineer would see no good enough reason to stay. Was her loyalty to the spectre greater tha her loyalty to her people?

'Dear god...' Lucy thought, feeling rotten to her core 'I can't ask her to make that kind of decision...'

Suddenly a lot more subdued, Shepard made the finishing checks of Tali's suit. All that remained was to clip on her visor and the girl she adored would once again be separated from her.

Of course, there was something else. No matter how hard she fought against it, Lucy couldn't keep images of Liara from her head. She'd almost been able to forget the Asari when making love to Tali...was almost able to dismiss her as a silly crush when her beautiful partner was keening with pleasure beneath her. Now though, as the spectre's thoughts took on a more melancholy tone, she was unable to deny the depth of her feelings for the shy scientist. It made her insides hurt just thinking about it...made her feel like she was betraying the young Quarian without even doing anything. Lucy loved Tali dearly but it was foolish to think she didn't love Liara just as much. In the short time they'd known each other, she'd sensed a connection so deep and so profound that it made her feel like they were just _meant_ to be together.

She couldn't let things continue the way they were. It was the worst feeling she'd ever experienced, loving two people and knowing that when she chose one, it would break the other's heart. Perhaps that was why she'd thrown herself into a relationship with Tali so readily, to try and focus all her affection on one person and block the other out. It wasn't working...Liara was appearing in her dreams more and more frequently. Lucy was certain they'd dream-joined on several occasions, although each time it had just been her watching the Asari sleep. Shepard could have spent hours just staring at Liara's gorgeous blue skin, admiring how perfect the scientist's body looked in the ethereal glow that permeated her subconscious.

Giving Tali one last chaste kiss on the lips, Lucy handed the Quarian her visor. She could feel the adoration radiating from the young girl wash over her, stoking the flame of guilt in her chest. Before she could stop herself, the words came tumbling out.

"Tali, I've got something I need to tell you..."

"What is it love?" God, those innocent eyes were so perfect. Lucy choked on the lump in her throat, immediately regretting what she'd just said. How could she be so cruel? How could she possibly begin to say what needed to be said, knowing full well how much it would hurt Tali? Images of the Quarian's tear-streaked face, twisted with the pain of grief and betrayal swam mockingly before her.

"I..." Oh god...forgive me, my love "I..."

"Joker to Shepard."

Lucy had never been more grateful for her pilot's terrible sense of timing.

"What is it Joker?"

"We've got a...situation here Commander, you'd better come to the bridge."

"I'll be right there."

Lucy cast Tali a deeply apologetic look. She knew the Quarian understood that duty must come before their personal feelings...that was one thing the young girl would not begrudge her for. The spectre hurried from her quarters as if the devil himself was hot on her heels.

* * *

Liara T'soni exited the Medbay as quietly as she could...she didn't feel like attracting any attention and the inevitable socialisation that would come with it. While she was usually shy, the Asari found herself fearing even the nods and mumbled 'Hellos' of her fellow crewmembers. The thought of what might happen, should someone pry too closely and discover the gaping chasm of longing that engulfed her entire body didn't bare thinking about. Liara still felt teary, although her heartache was more a dull throb deep within her chest as opposed to the very real pain that had pierced her last night. Stopping briefly to analyze her distorted reflection in a shiny section of metal plate, she surmised that her eyes were not quite bloodshot enough to give away the fact she'd spent the whole night crying.

With a minute adjustment of her lab coat, she ambled meekly in the direction of the food dispenser. The unconscious grace and poise of all Asari were still evident in her movements but any onlooker would have spotted how subdued the scientist looked. That is if anyone cared enough about her to spare her a second glance.

Sighing as the familiar sense of isolation permeated her small bubble of solitude; Liara ordered a coffee from the machine. Perhaps the brown nectar might temporarily alleviate her weariness. Allowing her mind to wander as the drink was prepared, the Asari realised that a conversation was occurring between two other occupants of the dining area. From the sound of their voices, it was Ashley Williams and Kaiden Alenko. Liara didn't give it a second thought until she heard Lucy's name being mentioned.

'Don't take the bait,' she thought desperately to herself 'It's none of your business...remember what happened last time you eavesdropped.'

It didn't work; even the mention of her beloved's name drew her like a moth to a candle. Loathing her lack of willpower, Liara shuffled closer and focused on the hushed semi-whispers of the two Alliance soldiers.

"How can you not know LT?" Ashley cried incredulously, "Even Joker's heard about it by now."

"Scuttlebutt's not really my thing," came Kaiden's calm reply. Liara could almost see the biotic shrugging his shoulders and Ashley's irritated look at his apparent lack of interest.

"You were in the cargo bay right after the ground team got back, don't tell me you didn't see what happened."

"I was neck-deep in Mako wreckage at the time Chief," Kaiden replied. He was trying to sound dismissive but it was obvious that like every soldier, he couldn't resist a juicy piece of gossip.

"I'd have thought a chauvinistic man like you would have been the first to notice," Ashley retorted although the accusation was nothing more than light teasing "I didn't think anyone could miss Tali and the skipper's little display...she was practically tearing our spectre's clothes off there and then!"

A loud clatter stopped the conversation dead in its tracks. Ashley whirled around on the swivelled chair, her soldier's sense allowing her to instantly zero in on the disturbance. Behind, she felt a tiny tingle as Kaiden's biotics powered up. You could never be too careful when so many things in the galaxy wanted you dead.

The sight she saw was not what she'd been expecting. A large blossom of spilled coffee fanned out across the deck, pooling around the feet of a certain Asari scientist. The polystyrene cup lay on the ground where it had slipped from her grasp, the murky dregs still steaming slightly. Liara made no move to pick it up. In fact, her hand was still held numbly outstretched as if the dropped drink hadn't even registered. For a tense second, the only movement was the maiden's faint swaying.

Then, as if some bewitching spell had been suddenly broken, Liara collapsed painfully to the floor.

"What the hell?" Ashley's exclamation ended the silence. She leapt to her feet, jarring the table and nearly sending the half-finished food and drink flying.

"I'll find the doctor." Kaiden said, dodging past the Chief as she knelt beside the prone form of Liara. Making his way to the sleeper pods, the biotic quickly located Chakwas and punched in the code to start the wake-up process.

"I'm not getting a pulse!"


	10. Chapter 10: False Prophets

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 10 – False Prophets**

Lucy felt her barely suppressed nerves flare as she stepped into the conference room. It felt weird to enter alone; normally the entire team would be with her, discussing whatever extraordinary events they'd been recently subjected to. Not this time though...the communiqué had expressly stated that it was for the spectre's eyes only. A deep sense of foreboding settled over Lucy for various reasons that she tried not to focus on. This entire episode felt strange...then again, it wasn't everyday the Quarians tried to contact _you_. Unbidden, Shepard's thoughts focused on the young engineer currently waiting for her outside. Whatever this unexpected encounter was about, Lucy felt sure that Tali would somehow be involved. Setting her face against the onrush of fear, Lucy keyed in her access code and the holo-emitters flared to life.

A ghostly figure appeared before her and it took a few seconds for Lucy to realise she was looking at a Quarian. Unlike her young engineer, this man had a stature that would put most humans to shame, towering a good few inches above the 5'10" spectre. His broad shoulders were draped with a long, billowing cape that swept down the subtle curve of his spine to tickle the floor behind signature splayed feet. Although Lucy could not tell the colour of his dress uniform from the monochromatic hologram, it wasn't hard to imagine rich, regal reds and golds adorning his figure. Obviously a man of status.

Finally, Lucy's eyes were drawn to his helmet. It was the only part of him that bore a resemblance to the Quarian she loved, although even this feature was adorned to be as imposing as possible. Vertical, foot long wings of solid metal fanned from where his ears would be, cresting his mask and acting as some form of antennae for the gravitas that palpably clung to him.

"Commander," His voice was distorted over the communications link, but commanded respect nonetheless. "I am glad that you were able to reply to my summons so quickly."

"I do not believe we've been introduced," Lucy made every effort to be as cordial as possible; something told her she didn't want this man as an enemy.

"I am Rael'Zorah vas Penthanar, head of the Quarian admiralty board."

A twinge of dread drained all colour from Lucy's cheeks, leaving her face pale as a ghost. 'Zorah'! This was Tali's father. She barely managed to stop her inner turmoil from spilling onto her features. Thankfully, the holographic version of her onboard the Penthanar would not be detailed enough to show the sudden pallor that gave her face a fearful, haunted visage.

"I-I see," Dammit! Why did her voice have to sound so frail, so scared? Get a grip of yourself Lucy! "What brings you here?"

"That, is a matter best discussed in private." Not good! Not good! "I hesitate in being so bold, but it would be best if the meeting be held on your ship. We are not in the habit of letting just anyone onto the Flotilla...I hope you understand."

"That shouldn't be a problem Admiral; we'd be honoured to have you onboard. I'll begin making the necessary..."

"Chakwas to Commander Shepard, you're needed in the Medbay right now!"

Lucy just managed to bite down on the curse that threatened to explode from her lungs. Her nerves were already shot with worry about Tali and now the doctor was interrupting a vital conversation to chase her up. This was obviously something to do with the ongoing repairs to her fused biotic implant. Why did Chakwas have to be so pig-headed, always assuming that medical business was the number one priority?

Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose, flushing the anger from her veins. It wasn't the doctor's fault...it was hers. She was letting this entire situation get to her, letting her personal life interfere with duty. In other words, the spectre was doing the exact opposite of what she intended. Lucy turned back to the holo-screen, forcing an apologetic smile onto her face.

"I'll contact you as soon as I've briefed my senior staff Admiral."

"Very good, Penthanar out." With a small whine, the ghostly figure of Rael fizzled out of existence, leaving Lucy alone with her demons.

Stifling a small sigh, she slumped into one of the comfy conference chairs, taking a moment to catch her breath. It was stupid really, anyone could see she was being paranoid and overprotective of her young engineer, yet despite knowing this fact, Lucy was powerless to stop herself.

'Perhaps that's just the nature of love,' she thought, attempting to work through her conflicting emotions 'Being unable to prevent yourself worrying about someone.'

As always, her thoughts eventually meandered back to her own personal dilemma. Lucy was still divided about what the right course of action was...an unusual situation for a spectre that was faced with seemingly insurmountable decisions on an almost daily basis. How did this reflect on her command ability? If she was unable to make a choice now, maybe she'd be unable to make one later on...one where her actions were could quite possibly get someone killed.

'Don't go there Lucy,' she thought darkly, 'This self-destructive feedback loop isn't helping anyone, least of all you and the people you profess to care about.'

One step at a time. First, she'd see what Chakwas wanted, then she'd deal with the Quarians. After that...well, her, Tali and Liara were long overdue for what could prove to be an incredibly awkward conversation.

* * *

Lucy strode purposefully into the Medbay, trying to appear commanding. She was so intent on giving Doctor Chakwas a piece of her mind that she failed to register the pale-blue form lying prone on one of the beds.

"Doctor, I really must prote-" Lucy's words died in her mouth as she realised the medical officer's patient was a certain beautiful Asari. Recognition hit her like a sledgehammer to the brain, driving out any trace of irritation she'd brought into the room with her.

"What happened?" she snapped, quietly proud of how in control she sounded – the exact opposite of how she felt. The brief walk from the communications room had given Lucy a chance to salvage some of her spectre dignity. Without that reprieve, and a few words of affection from her darling engineer, Lucy felt certain the sight of Liara's condition would have reduced her to a quivering heap of fear.

"About five minutes ago, Liara suffered a cardiac arrest." The doctors voice was strained and clipped, Lucy could sense the stress ingrained within her syllables.

"But...she's okay right? I mean, you'd have told me if it was fatal right?" Shepard was babbling, but she couldn't help it. Between the image of the young Asari's ghostly face and the doctor's haunting words, all that mattered to Lucy was hearing that Liara was alright.

"She's fine Commander. For the moment, she's just resting and I'd prefer for it to stay that way."

Lucy ran a hand across her forehead, acutely aware of the tension that gripped her insides. If this stress persisted, she'd be in danger of winding up stranded in the Medbay as well. The relief at knowing Liara was okay warred with the anxiety over the coming meeting. As was the norm nowadays, Shepard found herself caught in the middle of her conflicting emotion.

"How'd it happen-I mean, there must be a cause."

Chakwas' face remained sympathetic but Lucy couldn't miss the dark look that drifted over her eyes.

"I can't be sure Commander but I've got my suspicions. Come with me for a moment."

Begrudgingly, Lucy tore herself away from Liara's side and paced over to a medical readout showing what appeared to be the Asari's brain scan.

"The Asari are physiologically almost identical to humans, aside from superficial differences like the lack of hair, head crests et cetera." The doctor explained, poring over the diagram. "However, their brain chemistry is completely different. No doubt this is down to their unique form of reproduction..."

"Can we get to the point here?" Lucy snapped irritably before she could stop herself. "Sorry doctor, I didn't mean to sound rude...I'm just feeling the pressure quite a bit at the moment, that's all."

"If you insist," Chakwas replied with merest hint of insubordinate sarcasm before continuing exactly where she'd left off "Because of this need to mentally join with others, the areas of the brain responsible for conscious thought are far more closely linked with biological functions than in humans. This does have its benefits, but as we can see here, there are also downsides."

"Explain."

"In some ironic evolutionary quirk, the frontal lobe, the area responsible for emotion, is linked directly to the sino-atrial node, the nerve cluster responsible for regulating the heartbeat. It appears Liara suffered ventricular fibrillation after an overpoweringly strong surge of emotion. Based on the fact synapses responsible for the processing of pain were also active, I'd say it was most probably anguish, or grief..."

Lucy took a moment to sift through the medical babble and as she did so, found herself confronted with the horrifying consequences of her inaction.

"You...you mean..." she could feel her control slipping away, bringing a quiver to her upper lip. She angrily forced the emotions down, determined to remain in strong. She didn't deserve the luxury of feeling sorry for herself; not when she'd brought so much pain and suffering to such a tender soul. Without another word, Lucy turned and hurried out of the Medbay, resisting the urge to run. She had to be somewhere else, anywhere where she couldn't see the awful truth of what she'd done.

* * *

Lucy ignored the small rabble of questioning faces that glanced at her as she strode to her quarters. The crew couldn't see her like this...so weak, so hurt. It was all she could manage to stop herself collapsing right there on the deck. The spectre managed to hold herself together long enough to pass through the automatic doors and engage a privacy lock. Stumbling the last few steps, she crumpled onto her bed as stifled sobs wracked her entire body. Now that she was alone, the tears flowed freely as Lucy tried to cry away all the guilt she felt.

"L-Lucy?" a small, timid voice came from behind her. It was unmistakeable who it belonged to.

"Oh! Tali, you startled me..." she looked up through watery eyes, giving the Quarian a tremulous smile.

"Shepard, you're crying..." her shock was evident. "What is wrong, are you in pain?"

Tali came closer, apprehensively perching herself on the edge of the bed beside the distressed spectre. Now that her lover was with her, Lucy was trying to bite back the tears. It didn't work; the emotions that drove them were too turbulent to be contained and glistening rivulets silently leaked down her cheeks.

"Lucy, my love please talk to me, let me understand what's troubling you." Tali sounded frightened, almost desperate. "Was it something I did?"

That got Shepard's attention.

"No! Dear god Tali no, don't think that."

"Then what?"

The Commander didn't reply, but she could feel her shaky composure cracking. It was then that she felt a delicate hand on her shoulder as the young girl encircled her tense frame with a protective arm. It was so loving...so selfless, Lucy finally broke. She flung both her arms around Tali's neck and hugged her closer, letting the tears spill unabated.

"I wish I could kiss you Shepard," she whispered "I wish I could caress your pain away. Please...tell me what is wrong so I can help you."

"No!" the spectre sobbed, clinging even tighter "I can't, I don't want to lose you as well...I love you so much Tali but I've been such an idiot, such a goddamn idiot!"

"Why Lucy?" Tali's voice held a hint of sorrow "Whatever it is that's hurting you, you can share it with me. I'm here for you...I love you!"

Lucy didn't loosen her possessive grip on the girl but gradually, the sobs began to subside and her breathing became less laboured and ragged.

"Oh god Tali, I've made such a terrible mistake." She moaned, finally releasing her grip to drop her head into her hands, "I-It's about Liara..."

"I heard about what happened," the Quarian agreed, still cradling the tear-sodden spectre to her chest. "Is that why you're so upset...are you worried about her?"

"N-N-No..." Lucy stammered, her voice trembling as she fought against the pools of moisture in her emerald eyes "She's fine, but don't you see...I'm the one that did that to her."

"I don't understand, did what?" It was so endearing, watching Tali trying to make sense of it all, just so she could comfort her partner. It made what Lucy had to say even more gut-wrenchingly difficult.

"She loves me Tali..." the spectre whispered, her broken voice barely audible in the still air "And when she thought I didn't return her feelings...oh Tali, it broke her heart!"

"She 'thought' you didn't return her love?" Lucy was caught completely off guard by the tone of her engineer's voice. She'd expected anger, or hurt, or maybe even cold indifference but none of them were present. There was nothing but love and sympathy.

"Yes," she barely managed to croak "but...she was mistaken."

Fresh tears leaked from Lucy's eyes and she dashed them away angrily. She hated being so vulnerable but also knew the worst was yet to come.

"God, you must hate me right now," she husked, shaking violently as the fought the desire to break down again "A-And I'd understand if you never want to be near me again. I've done something horrible to you Tali, and I don't expect you to ever forgive me. Just please...please realize that everything I said to you was true. No matter what my feelings for Liara I still love you a-and I always did, and I...I..."

She wrenched herself away, trying to make it as easy for the Quarian to leave as she could. Tali deserved so much better than her...the young girl had trusted the spectre implicitly, innocently and now Lucy had thrown it right back in her face.

"Shepard..?"

Lucy froze momentarily as she heard her name, bracing herself for the betrayal she was bound to hear coursing through her lover's voice. Those seconds of complete stillness were like the most unbearable form of torture.

Then Lucy felt tentative fingertips stroking her back, moving with the infinite tenderness that only a soul as beautiful as Tali's could provide. The touch continued, running softly along her spine to caress the nape of her neck.

"Shepard...Lucy, please look at me."

The Commander numbly rolled over to find herself gazing directly into the foggy expanse of Tali's visor. Like beacons in the mist, Lucy homed in on the shadows of her sweetheart's eyes to fix them with her disbelieving gaze.

'Why is she doing this? Is she trying to wound me; make me realise what I've lost...no...Tali could never be so cruel.'

"Lucy," she whispered again and even though her voice cracked with emotion, the spectre could tell she was smiling "Lucy it's alright...I forgive you."

Forgive her?

No...no one could forgive what she had done.

"All I've ever wanted is for you to be happy," Tali continued "I give my heart to you freely; regardless of who you may share yours with. I...love you."

Lucy remained silent for a long time, her brain seemingly unable to process the magnitude of the Quarian's commitment.

"I can't..." she finally managed to croak "I can't ask you to..."

"You don't have to," Tali interjected, conviction resonant in her tone "My love for you is unconditional and yours...forever."

Never before had Lucy truly understood the meaning of the word, not until now. It was terrifying and completely and utterly undeserved. There was no way that anything she could possibly say would match the sincerity of Tali's heartfelt declaration.

"Will you kiss me Lucy?" the request was redundant. No sooner had the words filtered through the young girl's speech modulator than Shepard was crushing Tali against her as raw longing flooded her entire being.

"I don't deserve you," Lucy whimpered "And words will never be able to express how grateful I am for this second chance."

"I can think of a different way."

Boundless love gave way to all consuming passion as the women lost themselves in each other's arms.


	11. Chapter 11: Truth & Reconciliation

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 11 – Truth and Reconciliation**

The first thing Liara was aware of was the pain. It started in her chest, tearing at her heart and lungs like a savage beast. It was as if someone had replaced her blood with liquid fire and then doubled her heart rate. With each beat of the laboured muscle, fresh tendrils of agony lashed her helpless body, suffusing every nerve ending with white hot magma. Liara tried to move, to call for help, to do anything to alleviate the torment but like leaden weights, her muscles would not respond. Her conscious thought was trapped in some dark corner of her mind, unable to reach the part responsible for movement. Stranded in her own head, all Liara could do was try to ease the hurt.

Focusing all her remaining willpower, the Asari began a meditation technique to try and block out the pain. It was an uphill struggle as each new searing pulse eroded Liara's concentration a bit more but after minutes of maintaining the same rhythmic thoughts, she was able to reduce the discomfort to a manageable level. She let herself take a deep, shuddering breath and thankfully felt nothing more that a dull ache.

Liara assumed she was unconscious. It was the most logical explanation and she'd heard accounts of coma victims who'd described experiences similar to her's upon awakening. That thought did little to calm the nervous Asari. What if she never woke up? The idea distressed her but she found it was the fact she may never see Lucy again...have a chance to tell her how she really felt that scared her the most. If only she could remember what had happened prior to her collapse. Liara recalled overhearing a conversation but the details of what was said eluded her. It was such a vexing predicament, she was sure that the knowledge she'd discovered had been of the utmost importance.

'There must be something I can do,' she thought frantically, searching her mind for some kind of answer.

An idea occurred to her; perhaps the only way she could contact the outside world. Fumbling around, she tried to locate the link that bound her mind to Lucy's. It was weak since they had never engaged in Union and had only joined on one, brief occasion after Therum. Were it not for the special situation between her and the spectre, Liara doubted she'd be able to sense it at all. It was there however, and on finding its familiar presence, the Asari was able to relax a tiny bit. It was odd that something that so often served as a painful reminder of what she didn't have could now be a source of comfort.

Focusing on the thread that joined them together, Liara visualised her soul-mate. That was the easy part; images of Lucy haunted her every waking moment and most of her dreams. Usually she had to make an active effort not to think of her. Now though it was imperative that she held that beautiful face in full focus as she whispered the timeless words used by all Asari to connect two minds.

"Embrace eternity..."

Liara felt the link intensify, although it was tenuous at best. Still, hopefully it would be possible to send some kind of message, something to draw Lucy's attention.

As she was trying to think of something to say, Liara's memory began to piece itself together. Suddenly she remembered it all with crystal clarity. Overhearing Ashley and Kaiden talking about Lucy and...and...Tali.

The picture of her beloved in her minds eye shifted. An all too familiar Quarian was standing by Lucy's side, one arm possessively encircling her waist. They were close, far too close to be anything other than lovers. The way they touched, the way Shepard looked at her with those doe eyes, the way Tali whispered in her ear, making the spectre laugh softly, it was everything Liara had ever wanted. Everything except for the fact that it wasn't her. The sight made her feel sick, which in turn made her feel guilty for envying the couples happiness. No doubt these images were being subconsciously transmitted from Lucy's mind; a mind overflowing with thoughts of her partner.

The Asari wailed inside her mind, as she felt her concentration crumble and along with it, her barriers against the pain.

* * *

Lucy's eyelids fluttered gently as she felt herself slipping back into consciousness. As soon as she was capable of logical thought, she immediately regretted dozing off. It was the middle of her shift, there was a bunch of Quarians practically knocking on the ships airlock doors and one of the most important people in her life at the moment was lying comatose in the Medbay. So much for not letting her personal issues interfere with her duty.

Glancing groggily at the wall-mounted digital timepiece, she felt relieved that a mere half-hour had passed. Not much time for any major developments to occur. Lucy consoled herself with the thought that it had been time well spent; if she hadn't confronted Tali then, she may have lost her forever. The spectre still couldn't quite believe how well the young Quarian had taken it...she knew for certain that she would never be so forgiving of her gross misconduct were the situations reversed. It was just another thing to be thankful for that she'd somehow earned the undying adoration of this marvellous creature.

A small sound from the corner of her cabin finished Lucy's wake up process. Sitting up, she scanned the dingy room, looking for where the noise had emanated from.

"Tali?" she whispered, taking note of the fact she was now alone in the bed "Tali, is that you?"

For several heartbeats, there was no answer. Then, a croaky, broken voice sounded from the shadows next to the bed, filtering through various mechanical apparatus.

"You love her more...don't you Shepard."

Lucy heard Tali's voice but it took her brain a moment to catch up and figure out the implications of what she was saying. Instinctively, she flicked the lighting strip, illuminating the spacious room with the sterile glow that was standard on all starships. The young girl was huddled against the wall, sitting on the bare deck with her legs drawn up to her chest. Lucy could easily see the rapid shaking of her shoulders as Tali cried silently, the sound muffled by her faceplate which was hidden in her hands.

The spectre had a hard time reconciling the distressed and hurt Quarian before her with the shy but accepting woman she'd made love to less than an hour previously. There'd been no hint of any resentment or anger when she'd made her tearful confession to the engineer.

'Come on, don't you think that was a bit strange,' her inner conscience admitted 'There's no way even the most trusting partner could shrug that off so easily.'

Her logical side was right of course. She'd been so desperate to hold on to Tali that she hadn't properly questioned her odd behaviour. Clearly the young girl had been confused about what she was saying, or perhaps it had simply taken this long to sink in. The Quarian was feisty, brave and intelligent but also inexperienced and naïve when it came to love.

'She's barely more than a child,' her conscience reminded her, rubbing it in 'Did you really think she'd know how to properly handle what you said so quickly.'

Realising that she hadn't responded, and that Tali would almost certainly interpret her silence as an affirmative answer, Lucy desperately looked for something to say.

"No...no Tali, I don't. Please...you have to believe me. I know how hard it must be to trust me right now, but you have to understand that I said what I did because I couldn't hide it from you anymore."

When she heard nothing but whimpers, and the hunched figure didn't move at all, Lucy continued.

"You've been wonderful to me Tali...your love is unlike anything anyone's ever given me before and I treasure it so much."

She made a move towards the Quarian; the need to touch her, to try and undo the damage she'd suddenly realized she'd done, was overwhelmingly strong. Gingerly, she extended a soothing hand, but Tali cringed away from it, huddling back into the corner even further. Lucy felt a wrenching pain in her chest at the sight and had to bite her bottom lip to stop it trembling. For the umpteenth time in as many days, the spectre felt like crying until every drop of moisture had been wrung from her body. She couldn't though; now was a time to some of that famed military resolve.

"I was prepared to stay with you Shepard," Tali croaked, daring to speak but still not lifting her head "Before you came to me I...I was trying to think of how I could explain to you that I wanted to remain here...on the Normandy. I realised that there was no way I could be happy back on the Flotilla without you there. I made the decision that...that if you would have me, I'd forsake a place in the migrant fleet to travel to... to be with you."

Lucy felt her face drain of colour. It was obvious what Tali meant, but she had to be sure; had to utter the question she'd never wanted to ask.

"You 'were'?"

For the first time, the Quarian lifted her head to gaze at the heartbroken spectre. The inside of her visor was smeared with fresh tears, some still trickling down the foggy glass.

"I-I just don't know anymore," she whispered, her voice a terrified squeak "I still l-love you...even if you flushed me out an airlock and left me to die I-I would still love you. I-I want you to be happy and I...I thought we were happy."

Unable to continue, she degenerated into another sobbing fit. Lucy realised that there was nothing she could say that would heal Tali's wounds. In a fleeting moment of clarity amongst all her destructive emotions, she suddenly knew that actions would have to succeed where words had failed.

"You're right Tali," she said, her voice beginning to steady as her new plan began to form and a glimmer of hope returned "We were happy together...in fact, it's the happiest I can ever remember being, but I have to tell you the truth. I won't insult you with excuses because I do love Liara and just as I can't change the way I feel about you, I can't change that either. I know that I've betrayed your trust...it's something I'm going to regret for the rest of my life, but this isn't the end for us. Loving you was the best decision I ever made and unless you tell me now that you don't want us to be together ever again, I am not going to rest until I have regained the right to be loved by you."

Tali sat in silence for what seemed like hours. Shepard could almost hear the cogs churning in her head. She felt so sorry for the young girl; sorry that her first experience with loving someone else had hurt her so deeply.

"I-I...What will you do?"

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do;" Lucy said, her voice still warbling, but now filled with renewed conviction "I'm going to kiss you."

Before the Quarian could protest, the spectre had slid her arms gently around her shaking shoulders and planted her lips softly against the side of her helmet. It was cold and hard, and unyielding but it didn't matter; it was Tali. With the joy of that thought filling the fractures in her heart, Lucy pulled away just enough to stare into the misty depths of her lover's mask.

"I won't hide anything from you ever again."

* * *

An hour later, Lucy stumbled from her cabin feeling like the luckiest woman alive. The conversation had taken an obvious toll on her, leaving evidence of fatigue on her normally indomitable features and in the lethargic movements of her finely toned limbs. Despite all that however, the spectre felt positively radiant and was somewhat thankful that no one was around to see her grinning like a gormless idiot. She figured that she had the right to a bit of happiness however, now safe in the knowledge that things would be alright between her and Tali.

True to her word, Lucy had told the young Quarian everything that she'd been too afraid to reveal to her before. The engineer had been just as surprised as she was when she learned that her father was currently holding position just off the starboard bow, along with a small detachment of the migrant fleet. Unfortunately, she'd been equally clueless as to what he might be doing there, so they decided to wait until the meeting before deciding what to do. Lucy felt so proud of how well Tali had taken the news and how, despite everything that had transpired, she understood why the spectre had been reluctant to tell her.

It had made her next confession a bitter pill to swallow. Lucy had had to call on all her reserves of strength to hand over the information she'd gathered for Tali, just days ago. So much had transpired since then, she felt like a completely different person. She'd been so scared of how her lover might react to the gift. Part of the spectre still expected Tali to discard everything and go rejoin her people. She couldn't say she'd blame her if she did; the young Quarian had every right to leave her hanging out to dry. It had been a risk, but Lucy knew that if she'd left it, hidden it for longer, it would destroy any semblance of trust that still existed between them.

Still, Lucy took solace in the fact that whatever else happened, Tali still loved her. She sure as hell didn't feel that she deserved it, but if the engineer was still willing to place her heart in the Commander's hands, she was determined to treat it with the utmost care and attention. For the time being, that was enough.

Sure that she was hovering a few centimetres above the deck, the upbeat spectre was more than a little surprised when frantic screaming suddenly filled her head.

* * *

"Sir, I'm sorry but you can't dock with the Normandy until Commander Shepard authorizes it."

"I've had just about enough of your stalling," Rael snapped irritably "My daughter is onboard your ship, I have a right to see her."

"But Admiral, I..."

"If you want to stop me, you'll have to destroy my shuttle. I suggest you inform your 'captain' of that."

The junior comms officer looked helplessly at the crewmen sitting next to her, who were doing their very best not to get involved. Finally capitulating, she decided going against protocol was better than causing a diplomatic incident.

"Very well Sir, you're cleared to begin your approach."


	12. Chapter 12: Another Girl, Another Planet

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 12 – Another Girl, Another Planet**

Lucy stumbled as the foreign noise filled her mind, slamming against a bulkhead with a resounding clang. The impact was loud enough to startle Garrus from where he'd been lackadaisically sipping a mug of Turian tea at the nearby mess hall table. Whirling around, he barely managed to stop it from spilling everywhere and succeeded in simultaneously putting the drink safely on the table and leaping to his feet.

"Shepard? What's wrong?"

Lucy pushed herself away from the wall, still holding her head in her hands. The noise had receded and was fading rapidly, but the picture that had filled her mind didn't dissipate so easily. When Lucy had closed her eyes, she'd been greeted by a vision of Liara rather than the usual enveloping blackness. The Asari had been writhing in pain, screaming profusely although there didn't appear to be any obvious cause. At that moment, Lucy had realised that this was not a hallucination but rather another out-of-body experience. It felt just the same as her sporadic dreams in which she appeared by the Asari's bed.

It didn't take her long to pursue that chain of thought and realise that whatever was hurting Liara was very real, and that she was experiencing it right now. Lucy didn't waste any more time, dismissing a concerned Garrus with a distracted 'nothing' as she quickly made her way to the Medbay. The doors seemed to take an age to open and the spectre squeezed through a soon as the gap between them was wide enough. A startled doctor Chakwas glanced up from her workstation as Lucy made her somewhat undignified entry.

"Commander I..."

"Something's wrong with Liara." Shepard stated bluntly, not wanting to waste any time when it was obvious the Asari was suffering.

"What?" Chakwas glanced round to where her patient was dozing on one of the beds. She lay completely still, her breathing slow and rhythmic with no outward indication of distress.

"Run a full scan on her, check for any anomalies." Lucy said, approaching the prone figure as the bewildered medical officer fished around for the necessary tools. Feeling a moment of tenderness despite the situation, she lightly brushed her fingertips over Liara's temple, sliding her hand across the flawless blue flesh to cup one, tear-stained cheek. If Chakwas had had her microscope to hand, she may have seen the most miniscule of tremors in Shepard's bottom lip; the only indication of how much the sight of Liara's prone form hurt the spectre.

"Don't worry Liara," Lucy whispered, withdrawing her hand to grasp the Asari's firmly, offering as much support as she could given the circumstances.

"I'm right here."

* * *

Liara felt Lucy's presence before she heard her voice. She could dimly make out sounds in the room around her and as soon as the muffled whir of the door opening reached her ears, she knew the spectre was there. It was like a warm, protective blanket had been thrown over her body, muting Liara's raw nerve endings and deadening the pain to more bearable levels.

The comforting feeling that her proximity to Lucy inspired gave the Asari a chance to think straight for the first time since her traumatic experience several hours earlier. Liara knew that the only way that she'd be able to resolve her emotional conflict and actually reach some sort of conclusion would be if she studied her situation with the same clinical detachment she brought to her work. She'd just have to treat her personal problems as a scientific enigma that required logic and a methodical thought process to unravel.

'Let's start at the beginning' she mumbled quietly to herself, although in reality the words existed in her mind only.

She had to admit that her prospects looked bleak. The woman she loved was apparently involved in a relationship with another and as such, would not be interested in her. Liara had taken a brief opportunity to study the basics of human custom when she came onboard, partially from curiosity and also to ensure that she did not accidentally offend anyone. Her research had indicated that, like most other races, the majority of the species was monogamous. It seemed highly likely that Lucy adhered to this norm.

Forcing that crushingly depressing thought to one side, Liara tried to look at the other potential obstacles that lay between themr. The next obvious one that sprang to mind was the gender bias of most species. Although Liara was aware of the biological differences between male and female, the lack of any such distinction on her home planet made understanding the social differences between the two a confusing and complicated affair. For example, despite the fact that her entire species was genderless, all non-Asari that she had encountered still persisted in referring to her as a woman or in some of the more insulting cases, a girl. Liara knew that it was inevitable, after all her race shared many physiological attributes with the females of other races, but it was still a source of minor annoyance to her that others continued to use the term, even after the had explained why it was inaccurate.

Fortunately, that was one problem that the Asari could dismiss straight away. From her conversation with the doctor, and from the now insurmountable evidence laid right before her eyes, it was clear that Lucy was one of the smaller percentage of the human population that actively preferred a same sex partnership. It was almost enough to stir a small spark of hope in Liara's chest but she quickly quashed it back down. If she allowed herself to become hopeful, it would just end up hurting more.

After going through a few more problems and finding that there were remarkably easy solutions to all of them, Liara finally realized that she had to confront the number one obstacle and probably the sole reason that she wasn't now lying in the spectres bed as opposed to a Medbay operating table. Quite simply, it was the fact that no matter how much she pined after Lucy, and fantasized about the love they could share, Liara could never muster the courage to actually approach the Commander. There'd been a few times when, filled with spontaneous confidence and resolve, she'd made her way to Lucy's cabin, intending to explain to the spectre exactly how she felt. Such attempts had always petered out however as self doubt and fear plagued the young Asari, picking holes in her determination until, by the time she was stood outside Lucy's door, she realised that there was no way she'd be able to adequately express herself. Feeling wretched, worthless and disgusted at her own cowardice, Liara would slink back to her 'quarters' and more often than not, quietly cry herself into a fitful sleep. Liara was certain that she'd shed more tears in the past few weeks than during the rest of her one hundred year life so far.

It was getting to the stage now where she was barely able to function as a member of the spectre's team; even in the more sedate role to which she was suited. As her love for Lucy continued to grow, Liara found each day more and more difficult to get through. Paying attention to what the spectre was saying, and not the subtle curvature of her delicate jawline, or the way her lips quirked in a tiny half-smile whenever she felt a mission was going well was an uphill struggle for the Asari. Liara knew that sooner or later it would become completely unbearable and when that happened, she really had no idea what she'd do. That was of course assuming that her lack of mental focus hadn't led to her death or infinitely worse; someone else's. If Lucy was so much as scratched because she was too nervous and distracted to prevent it...Liara didn't even know a word for how that would make her feel. Appalled, aghast and horrified were the closest she could think of but seemed woefully inadequate for the task.

In the end, all of this debate seemed futile. Even if she could find a way to overcome her paralytic fear, Lucy already loved a different woman and that didn't look like it was changing anytime soon. Who could blame her; Tali was outspoken, brave and considerably younger. There was no reason for Lucy to choose a timid, bookish Asari who no doubt bored half the people she met to death over such a wonderful partner. The very idea seemed laughable, much to Liara's endless despair. No matter how often she was forced to confront reality like this, it never got any easier or any less painful.

'Goddess...what am I going to do?'

Sudden warmth passed over her skin, a feeling so unexpected that Liara hesitated in her self-deprecation. Someone was touching her face; their gentle fingers radiating the heat that seemed to drive back all her dark thoughts. The touch was tender; caring...almost loving in how softly the person stroked her cheek. Smooth, delicate fingertips caressed the lilac blue flesh before sliding slowly down until the entire palm rested against Liara's fevered skin, soothing muscles that had remained taught with worry for days on end.

"Don't worry Liara," Lucy whispered, her voice so silky and layered with unspoken connotations that the Asari felt herself shiver. "I'm right here."

Perhaps it was the kind words, or more probably the completely heartfelt way in which they were spoken but Liara found herself suddenly infused with a strength and confidence she didn't know she possessed. It was just so perfect; she could almost see Lucy's beautiful face watching over her, love and compassion brimming in eyes that seemed to glow like twin suns. Liara knew that this was the moment to say what she'd been holding onto her entire life.

'Lucy! Lucy please...I-I love you...'

Nothing. Liara's voice was heard by her alone.

* * *

"I just got a spike," Chakwas announced, glancing up from her monitoring equipment with a concerned expression. "She's experiencing more emotionally induced stress."

Lucy swallowed on the rebellious lump in her throat. It had appeared when she'd witnessed a single tear leak from the Asari's eye and run lazily down skin that was already stained to near-white from previous weeping. Since that, it had remained firmly lodged against her windpipe, as if her conscience felt a physical reminder was needed to prevent her messing up again.

"Can't you wake her up?" Lucy pleaded "She's tearing herself to shreds in there."

The doctor shook her head glumly.

"Waking her now would be inadvisable. Liara's undergone severe trauma, her brain needs time to re-establish the damaged neural pathways. Any technique I used to bring her around would undo any repairs being performed."

Lucy took the bleak bit of news and ran with it, her brain working overtime. Working off the assumption that it was her actions that were the cause of all this, something that seemed irrefutable, perhaps there was a natural way to accelerate Liara's regeneration.

"Is she aware of us?"

"Most probably," Chakwas replied, taking a second to check the readouts once more "From what I can tell she's still conscious to a certain extent, her higher brain functions are still registering. Although she is unable to move or respond, I would say that she can still sense some external stimuli."

Lucy mulled it over. If she was right, the solution seemed obvious.

"Do you think you could leave us for a moment doctor?"

The medical officer studied her intently for several long seconds, as if deciding whether she could trust the spectre or not. Then, with a solemn nod, she headed for the exit, leaving Shepard and an unconscious Liara alone in the Medbay.

Lucy drew a deep breath, hoping that she hadn't miscalculated. She remembered the time when Tali had gone into some form of shock after removing her suit. At the time, the only thing Lucy could think to do was kiss her. Looking back on it afterwards, it seemed a rather stupid idea and yet, amazingly, it had actually worked. Liara situation wasn't really so different: her body was reacting adversely to a strong excess of negative emotion and that gave Lucy hope that maybe, just maybe, she could do it again.

Of course, this was so much more than just a dispassionate, clinical treatment. The only way it had any hope of working was if Liara was aware of it on an emotional level and that included remembering the whole thing when she woke up. Was she really ready to make her feelings clear to the Asari just yet? After all, she and Tali were at an incredibly delicate phase in their relationship...there was no telling what might happen to any of them once Liara was included as well.

'Quit making excuses and kiss her you idiot,'

Lucy had never been one to argue with her subconscious.

"Liara..." she whispered, leaning in close enough to smell the faint scent of lavender that was unique to the elegant Asari "I don't know if you can here me...but if you are in there, I want you to know that you're not alone. You never were. It's taken me far longer than it should have to say this; it should have been the first words off my tongue when we met. I lo-"

Just before the magical words could escape, a sudden sound of commotion outside forced Lucy to look up. From what she could tell, the disturbance was coming this way. Standing up jerkily, her normally calm and friendly exterior cracked as she prepared to verbally lash the cause of this interruption to within an inch of their metaphorical life. With a purposeful stride, she stormed over to the automatic doors, preparing to breeze through as they parted noiselessly.

She was forced to screech to a halt as she stepped over the threshold, brought up short by a wickedly fine rapier held at neck level. Lucy managed to stumble backwards a second before the gleaming tip drew blood from her throat.

"Ah," said a familiar, deep voice without a trace of inflection "So this is the spectre who seeks to romance my only daughter away from me."


	13. Chapter 13: The Pretender

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 13 – The Pretender**

Admiral Rael Zorah vas Penthanar was no less regal than Lucy had imagined. Judging by the golden wings that rose a good foot from both sides of his head, or the burgundy cloak that lay draped across his broad shoulders, the Admiral was one of the few Quarians who could afford such frivolous, impractical decoration. That thought however seemed somewhat irrelevant to Lucy, placed as she was a mere inch from the tip of his rapier. The sword embodied the more traditional Quarian view of beauty mixed with functionality. The blade was made of a simple alloy, polished to scintillating perfection. Balance was achieved by a multi-hued crystal of pearlescent appearance, set firmly into the pommel.

The spectre swallowed but otherwise remained unfazed. This was what she was trained to deal with: direct confrontation. Disregarding the emotional stigma of this man's relation to Tali, the situation was simple. An intruder was on board her vessel, threatening her life...or so it appeared.

"Admiral," she said, careful to remain respectful and polite "I wasn't expecting this pleasure quite so soon."

"I know," he said simply.

Lucy was momentarily derailed by the lack of explanation offered to her. This wasn't exactly the kind of first impression she'd anticipated from Tali's sole remaining family member. Of course, it was never going to be as simple as 'meeting the parents', but the last thing she expected was to have a sword drawn on her.

"You know," she said carefully, "a conversation is generally more enjoyable for everyone involved if nobody is being threatened while it takes place."

"I'm well aware of that," the Admiral said, backing off slightly but still keeping his sword levelled "but there will be no 'conversation' until I see my daughter and know exactly what she's doing on board this ship."

Shepard looked over Rael's shoulder. Pretty much the entire crew was crammed into the navigation deck, arranged in a loose ring around the face-off. Some looked scared, others confused; but all were ready to step in at the slightest hint from the spectre. Lucy could see all of her squad, bar Tali and of course Liara standing at the forefront of the group. Garrus was having a hard time keeping his hand off the grip of his pistol, hovering it nearby and ready to draw at a moment's notice. It reminded Lucy of how he'd been when he first joined the crew; all fire and rashness, willing to shoot first and hang the regulations. That Garrus would already have the gun pointed at Rael's head.

Lucy was glad of the change in the young Turian. Open hostility would just result in a massive stalemate and no doubt anger the Admiral further. This more restrained approach left the possibility of a civil resolution, whilst still reminding the Quarian just whose ship he was on.

"Someone inform Tali of the situation," Lucy said, her voice brooking no objection. It was pointless feigning ignorance; if Rael had somehow tracked her to the Normandy as opposed to the billions of other places she could be, he wasn't going to be put off by out-right denial.

"In the mean time Admiral," she continued, "why don't you lower that sword? I assure you that your daughter is absolutely fine. She's here of her own volition and has actually been a great asset to my team. I don't think I've ever come across someone as naturally gifted at engineering."

"I..." Rael's speech was cut off as he heard a sharp intake of breath behind him. Lucy was the first to realise who it was. Their resident Quarian had forced her way through the knot of nervous onlookers and now stood stock still, stunned to silence upon seeing the faceoff before her.

"Tali?" the Admiral's voice had lost its steely tone, now sounding softer and choked with suppressed emotion.

The young engineer didn't move, her eyes fixed on the blade hovering millimetres from Lucy's throat. When she spoke, it was with a voice filled with the same note of betrayal that Shepard had heard earlier.

"Father? What are you doing?!"

"What I must," Rael said, circling the spectre until Tali entered his field of view. "My child, what of your Pilgrimage? Why are you here; on this ship instead of fulfilling your destiny?"

Tali glanced towards Lucy, and the Commander saw her defiant posture waver. Whether it was from second thoughts or simply from fear, Lucy couldn't tell.

"Father...is the Pilgrimage not meant to be a rite of passage...a trial that all Quarians must vanquish to prove themselves worthy...to prove they can be trusted to fend for themselves and make their own decisions?"

"And what exactly are you deciding by being here?" Rael's voice was still gentle, but now laced with authority.

"That I...I..." Tali's eyes were barely visible, darting between her father and her lover. Lucy's heart ached for the young girl; having an impossible decision thrust on her right after the emotional turmoil the spectre had put her through. Burning anger flared in her chest, hatred towards the man who threatened to take away the woman she loved. For a second, it was overwhelming, clouding her brain with a red mist that threatened to spill over into physical violence.

Fortunately, years of military training allowed her to exert some measure of control. Enough for her to recognise that the rage she felt was actually another manifestation of the bone-deep guilt that filled her heart whenever she thought about Tali. Guilt that she had misled the young Quarian and even now continued to betray her by loving another.

"That I have finished my Pilgrimage."

Tali's voice brought Lucy crashing back to reality with a sickening crunch.

"The gift that I have is information..." the young girl's voice was strong and determined, and Lucy was pretty certain she was the only one who could detect the tiny tremor as she spoke, or see the shivers coursing through her body.

"Information about the Geth; about how they have evolved and changed since they fled behind the veil. With it, we should be able to better understand our enemy."

Tali withdrew the OSD Lucy had given to her...a token of the spectre's promise to never conceal anything from the Quarian. Shepard felt her chest constrict painfully. It hadn't been enough...

"With your blessing father, I seek permission to present this gift to the captain of the vessel I wish to join and in so doing secure my place as a Quarian citizen."

She'd failed...and now the woman who carried half her heart was about to leave forever, irreparably tearing it in two.

Rael seemed genuinely stunned by the sudden declaration, although not half as much as Lucy. No one saw his hesitation however, as the assembled crowd held their collective breath in anticipation of what would happen next.

"Daughter, Tali...this day makes me proud to be your father. You have my blessing and my respect. Come, we can leave at once..."

The admiral moved to place his hand on her shoulder, but Tali turned away, clutching the data stick to her chest like the most precious of jewels.

"I-I'm s-sorry father," the young girl's voice was thick with sorrow and pain. Lucy could see the damp streaks on the inside of her visor as tears leaked unchecked from gorgeous hazel eyes.

Turning away completely from her only parent, Tali took the few steps needed to stand herself before the woman who meant more to her than a place amongst the Quarian people. Gingerly, she sank to her knees, head tilted upwards to gaze at the face of her lover...her captain.

"Lucy'Shepard vas Normandy, I am Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, daughter of Rael'Zorah vas Penthanar. For over 30 cycles I have wandered amongst the stars, searching for something of value that I might offer in return for the honour of joining your crew and your ship. I give it freely to you now, in the hope that you will give to me freely, a place which I might call home. It is my solemn promise to give more than I receive...to take less than I offer. What's mine is yours and with your acceptance, all that is yours will be mine also, to respect and honour until my passing day. Will you take me?"

The words may have been dictated by Quarian ritual, rehearsed and repeated countless times...yet to Lucy it was the most deeply personal and heartfelt confession of love that she had ever heard. One that left her feeling shamefully inadequate and totally speechless. Looking down at Tali, Lucy realised that she was offering so much more than a simple OSD, or promise of loyalty. She was giving the spectre a permanent place in her heart.

Words that the young Quarian had once told her came flooding back...words that were needed to complete the ritual. With just one sentence, she had the power to forever change the course of Tali's life and by extension, her own.

'My god...' Lucy thought, everything suddenly snapping into place 'I'm being proposed to!'

The parallels were blindingly obvious. Tali on her knees, offering up a symbol of the trust and they shared...seeking to formally solidify their bond in the eyes of her father. Whilst it wasn't quite a recognition of love, at least not officially, Lucy's acceptance would show that she was prepared for Tali to become a permanent fixture in her life. For the Quarian, it showed a willingness to leave everything that she was behind for the sake of a single woman.

'And that woman is me...'

A sudden urge to panic gripped the spectre. This was all too soon! Was she ready for such commitment?

'Isn't this what you wanted all along? You knew ever since she came to your quarters that night that this wasn't some cheap fling. Conflicting emotions about Liara aside, it's clear that you love her and that she loves you at least as much. If she's prepared to sacrifice so much for that, the least you could do is accept her love in some official capacity. For god's sake, it's not like she's _actually_ asking you to marry her!'

'And so what if she was...you may only have shared a relationship for a short space of time but you were friends before that...'

Lucy clamped down on that train of thought. What mattered at this moment was reality...there'd be time for speculation once Tali was safely at her side.

"Of course," and suddenly, the spectre was laughing "Of course I will my love!"

Remembering that she still hadn't said her part, Lucy hastened to add.

"Arise Tali'Zorah vas Normandy; you walk amongst family now."

For the briefest of seconds, silence ruled supreme. None of the spectators seemed to know where to look, and their expressions ranged from smiles for the happy couple to barely concealed nervousness whilst looking at a certain Quarian admiral. Eventually, a voice as soft as a serrated dagger broke the quiet.

"What is the meaning of _this_?"

Rael's presence seemed to fill the room, shutting out everyone but himself and the two women he faced. There was no way to read his facial expression, but the anger in his voice would have been unmistakable to a deaf man. He exhaled with such force, that his rebreather hissed from the strain and several secondary vents opened up, emitting copious billows of the foggy gas that filled all Quarian helmets.

"I taught you, Tali'Zorah _nar Rayya_, I raised you! You are my only child! I gave everything to you...everything!"

Rael's voice was harsh and panicked. Whereas before, Lucy had seen an untouchable admiral, she now saw a desperate man...terrified at the thought of losing his daughter. Try as she might, she couldn't feel angry at him. After what Tali had told her of how he'd lost his wife to a pandemic, his sorrow was understandable. Quarians were a very close knit society, and even once a child left 'home' they were always within contacting distance...just a few ships away. Lucy couldn't imagine what it must feel like to lose your daughter in the vastness of a whole galaxy; never knowing where she was or if she was safe.

Despite this however, the fact remained that it was Tali's decision, not his. Lucy hated that her involvement had turned parent against child like this, but she would not hand her partner over just because Rael could not handle the fact that she was old enough to choose her own path.

"I will not allow this, I forbid it! You're coming with me right now!"

"That's not going to happen Admiral." Lucy's voice had taken on a dangerous tone. She may not be able to hate Rael, but if he tried to take Tali by force then god help her, she'd break both his arms and to hell with the political fallout.

"If you have a problem, I suggest you take it up with me."

The elder Quarian was still for a moment, as if considering the possible options. The only movement was the exaggerated rise and fall of his muscular chest as he struggled to control his breathing.

"Very well spectre." To his credit, there was only the faintest hint of venom in his voice "I accept your offer."

His hand reached under his cape, unfastening something from the ornamental belt around his waist. Instantly, several pistols were raised, aiming directly at several vital points across Rael's body. Lucy couldn't fault the training or the loyalty of her crew, but now was not the time for such bravado.

"Lower your weapons people, I've got this." There were several murmurs of discontent, and it was at least ten seconds before everyone had complied. Their weapons remained drawn however, and several fingers twitched nervously against triggers.

Rael seemed not to notice that he could be shot dead at any moment. Perhaps he did not care. He finished unclasping the item and withdrew a sword of identical make to his own, still sheathed in its gold-trimmed scabbard. He held it out to the bemused spectre, offering her the hilt.

"Since you are so familiar with our rituals, perhaps you already know what I'm proposing. If not, I'd say it's pretty self-explanatory."

Lucy eyed the rapier being offered to her with a familiar sinking feeling. Fencing was a mandatory part of Alliance training; more for the improvement of hand-eye coordination and reflex's than actual preparation for a sword fight. Whilst she'd been at the top of her class back then, Lucy was pretty certain that it would do her little good in a proper duel. Besides...that had been years ago and she'd never practiced it since.

"I won't fight you Rael."

"Then by the same rights you have just performed, your position as captain of this vessel is forfeit. Like it or not, you accepted our ways when you accepted one of our own as yours. You have two options...a duel to the death, or return my daughter."

"Papa this is crazy!" Tali shoved aside the offered blade, placing herself between the two adversaries "I choose to stay with Shepard because I _love_ her! If you want her dead, you'd better be prepared to kill me as well!"

For the briefest second, the Admiral's resolve wavered.

"I do not want her dead child...but I will do what I must, for your sake not mine. This 'love' has blinded you to your responsibilities. Please...stand aside."

Tali squared her shoulders, and faced her only living relative.

"I will not."

Rael tilted his head ever so slightly...a silent acknowledgement of what was to come. Lucy felt a familiar tingle in the air, akin to a low level electric current. She knew the feeling like the back of her of hand. Biotic energy...

Rael raised his free hand, palm open towards his only daughter.

"Then I shall make you."


	14. Chapter 14: The Hooded Claw

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 14 – The Hooded Claw**

It happened faster than the speed of human thought. One minute Tali was planted firmly between Rael and Shepard. The next, a scything arc of deep blue energy erupted from the admiral's palm, sweeping her legs from under her and hurling the young Quarian across the room. She flew straight through the holographic Milky Way, leaving a trail of shimmering disruptions in her wake. Just before landing, the wave of biotic force slowed her descent and grew in magnitude, wrapping sinuously around Tali's limbs and trapping her in place.

"Don't shoot!" Lucy shouted to her crew "Don't shoot or he'll kill her!"

"Kill her!" Rael thundered "Kill her! What do you take me for Shepard? I merely knew that she would not bow down when defending her precious spectre. For Tali's own safety, I have restrained her for the duration of this duel."

"Choking air take you father!" Tali screamed from her biotic prison.

"That's enough child!" the elder Quarian snapped, flexing his fingers lazily. The cloud of blue energy extended across Tali's visor, muffling her cries "Be silent."

"What the hell is wrong with you Rael?" Lucy spat, her attempts at diplomacy forgotten in the face of an assault on a member of her crew "She's your daughter for Christ's sake!"

"But you see she isn't; not anymore...not unless I kill you." Rael drew the second sword from its scabbard and tossed it to the furious spectre. Lucy's reflexes allowed her to snatch it out of the air without breaking 'eye' contact. It wasn't as heavy as she expected and seemed to be made of some kind of lightweight metal filled with tiny micro-pores.

"You won't be familiar with Quarian Songblades," Rael stated neutrally "They are made in pairs and awarded to each member of the Admiralty board upon their appointment to the post. If a member of Quarian society refuses a judgement bestowed upon them, they can petition their captain to duel one of the admirals. It is an ancient tradition and the giving of the swords is now mainly ceremonial. No Quarian has invoked the rite for twenty phases."

"Lucky me," Lucy snarled, tightening her grip on the hilt and silently loosening her muscles in preparation.

"When the blades first meet, the song will begin and shall continue until one of us is defeated. Are you prepared?"

Lucy sucked in a deep breath, casting a final glance around. The Normandy crew had retreated to the far wall, near where Tali was restrained. Their faces were pale and grim, but filled with silent confidence. It warmed the spectre's heart to see them follow her lead so willingly. Having been in the military for so many years, she could reliably distinguish between someone simply obeying orders, and someone who trusted their leader absolutely. That kind of trust was not easily earned, especially when commanding a crew as diverse as the Normandy's.

"I am."

The words had barely left her lips when the admiral struck. The translucent jewel on his blade erupted with a glorious golden light that illuminated the drab interior walls of the starship in a heavenly aura. Every nut and bolt on every bulkhead was thrown into stark relief, each casting a long and spidery shadow behind it. Lucy heard the startled cries of her crew, and was dimly aware of people stumbling backwards, raising their arms to shield themselves from the glare.

In the split second she had to react, Lucy found a small part of her brain wondering why the light did not blind her as it did the others. The thought was fleeting and quickly filed away for later contemplation as she found herself in a desperate struggle for her very life. Rael's swordplay was incredibly fast, and only her above-average reflexes prevented his first attack from hitting home. Instead she dodged sideways and managed to get her blade between them.

As the swords collided, a resonant musical note thrummed from both of them. Lucy pulled back and as her sword moved, it wove a tune through the air. The sound was light and calm; somehow reassuring even if it was in direct contrast to how she felt.

Rael struck again, this time coming in low. A dramatic clash of powerful notes reminiscent of string instruments accompanied the thrust, overshadowing the lilting song of Lucy's blade. She was ready for him this time, and was able to parry the attack with relative ease. Once again the two combatants backed off, each searching for the slightest hint of weakness in their opponent's guard.

This time Lucy was the first to strike, sending a quick jab at the Admiral's throat. Rael raised his blade for an easy counter but at the last second, the spectre twisted her wrist downwards, intending to deliver a crippling slash across her opponent's leg. As she did, her own tune rose in pitch like a banshee's scream.

The Quarian was quicker however and with a nimble piece of footwork was able to shift his leg out of harm's way. Capitalising on his advantage, Rael smashed the glowing pommel of his sword into Lucy's temple. The blow was not disabling, but Lucy could already feel the dull ache and pressure behind her eyes. For the briefest second, the spectre's vision swam. Were it not for the precarious position the admiral had put himself in to deliver the hit, she'd have been dead for sure. The impact was going to leave a nasty bruise...assuming she survived long enough for it to form.

The next few minutes passed without incident. Both duellists clashed several times, each verse of their songs in turn rising and falling in volume like waves breaking on an ocean shore. Despite the elegance and skill with which they both fought, neither could seem to land a solid blow on the other. Light from the swords flickered and danced in time with the music which in turn had its tempo dictated by the flow of battle.

As the minutes passed in a flurry of parries, counter-attacks and sweeping flourishes Lucy felt herself beginning to tire. Ordinarily she could fight for hours without feeling any fatigue, but her already drained body was being pushed to its limit just to keep her on a level footing with Rael. It was obvious to her, even if it wasn't to the others, that the admiral was the superior swordsman by far and only a clumsy mistake on his part or a healthy dose of luck on hers would result in her victory.

Apparently fate wasn't on Lucy's side. As she parried a particularly vicious blow from the Quarian, she felt her foot catch of one of the tiny ridges formed where two plates of metal decking met. Having to concentrate to prevent herself falling gracelessly to the floor, the spectre wasn't prepared for Rael's follow up attack. By the time she saw the blade stabbing at her face, there wasn't time to put up any kind of proper defence. Instead, she desperately swatted at the sword with her own, hoping to at least deflect the thrust to a less fatal part of her anatomy.

Rael's jab missed Lucy's ear by millimetres, glancing off the bulkhead behind her instead. The spectre's grip however hadn't been firm enough and the sword tumbled from her grasp. The music from the blade faltered and trailed off to a piteous whine, accompanied by the sound of rattling steel as the Quarian admiral kicked it away into an unoccupied corner of the room. Gradually, the golden light from both swords faded and with a final note of triumph, so did Rael's song.

Silence engulfed the room. Blinking and dazed, the Normandy crew opened their eyes to see Lucy backed against a wall, weaponless, with the admiral's rapier a mere inch from her throat. The sudden calm was punctuated only by the sound of laboured breathing; no one dared move for fear of what Rael might do.

"Go ahead." Lucy's voice was barely a whisper yet to the onlookers she may as well have shouted "Finish it you heartless bastard."

The image of the Quarian admiral readying himself for the killing blow blurred across her vision. With a calmly executed flick of the wrist, Rael's blade arced through the air...

...and slid cleanly into the gilded scabbard at his hip.

As the sound of scraping steel reached her ears, Lucy let out the breath she'd unconsciously sucked in. She could feel her heart beating like crazy from the adrenaline still coursing through her system. The rhythmic thumping in her chest was proof enough...she was alive.

As if he could read her thoughts, Rael erupted with uncontrollable laughter. The sound was rich and deep...a sound of genuine amusement that flooded Lucy with relief despite its unexpectedness. Confusion was a small price to pay for keeping all her blood inside her body.

"Oh the fire in this one!" the Admiral chuckled, the cape behind him billowing as his shoulders shook with laughter. With a casual gesture of his right hand, the bonds surrounding Tali dissolved into nothing, depositing the speechless Quarian back on her feet.

Lucy found herself equally lost for words. She didn't even know where to begin making sense of the situation.

Rael looked between the two confused women, humour evident in his posture. When the spectre's expression didn't soften, he straightened slightly, his voice taking on the more serious note it had before.

"In truth Shepard, I must apologise for my charade. Had I known of your relationship with my daughter beforehand I would have been more...tactful in my approach."

Lucy glanced at Tali. Her expression was unreadable as always, but she returned the look and Lucy could almost feel her bewilderment.

"Perhaps I should explain myself further." Rael continued "It was never my intention to kill you, nor do I desire to make my daughters choices for her. When I heard that Tali was travelling with a spectre, my first thought was for her safety. Your kind has a reputation for getting into trouble."

The Quarian Admiral paced the deck with a familiarity born of a life spent on star ships. His words had lost their confrontation edge, but the power behind them was still evident.

"Sadly, not all of the council's right-hand are as honourable as you have proven to be. There are many who would be willing to sacrifice those beneath them to achieve their goals. I had to be certain you were not one of them...for Tali's protection and my own peace of mind."

As Lucy wrapped her head around this sudden change of character, she found the pieces slowly fell into place.

"As captain of a vessel and leader of the Quarian people, I am only too familiar with how dangerous and unforgiving the galaxy can be. I would not ask you to guarantee my daughters safety, since I know such promises are impossible. Instead, I had to know that you would be willing to do everything within your power to protect her...even risk your own life. I know that I would do so for any under my command and I expect the same of all other Quarian captains. You humans are an unknown quantity; it was imperative for me to find out what codes of honour your species follows."

Rael sucked in a deep breath, and exhaled slowly.

"Sadly I could not take your word for it. Lies are the one free commodity in this universe and as I believe your people say 'actions speak louder than words': an elegant saying and one that I took to heart. The only way to be certain of your sincerity was to engineer a situation where you'd be forced to choose between your safety and hers."

Pausing with his back to the Normandy crew, Lucy saw the Admiral's shoulders slump ever so slightly. When he turned around, his words addressed Tali directly.

"I am truly sorry for my callousness, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. By the time I learnt of your feelings for Shepard, I was already committed to my path. I could not back out without exposing my deceit. I regret that that led to somewhat...unfatherly actions. Believe me when I say that I had only your best interests at heart. Now I see that I needn't have worried; if your destiny lies here with the spectre, I shall not deny you."

Tali looked to her lover, and Lucy could sense her need for reassurance. She was also acutely aware of all the pairs of eyes watching both her and the young Quarian intently. Lucy nodded ever so slightly, favouring her engineer with a warm, supportive smile of encouragement.

Tali gulped visibly, but didn't shy away as she approached her father. As she did, Rael held his hand out; spreading his three fingers apart in what Lucy guessed was some kind of traditional Quarian greeting or gesture of affection. Whatever it was, it apparently it wasn't meaningful enough for the young girl because the Admiral suddenly found himself the recipient of a ferocious hug that seemed to knock the breath from his chest.

The sight of reconciliation between father and daughter warmed Lucy's heart. She couldn't help but grin at the surprise evident in Rael's manner as he awkwardly hugged her back. From what Tali had told her, the Admiral wasn't exactly the touchy-feely type of parent.

Not wanting to intrude on their private moment, Lucy turned her attention to the rest of the Normandy crew.

"Show's over people, everyone back to your posts; the ship isn't going to work itself."

As the crowd dispersed back to their original postings, Lucy retrieved her sword from where Rael had kicked it aside. She rose just in time to see the Admiral murmur something quietly to his daughter. The words were too faint to hear, but from the effect they had on Tali, they were clearly significant. Standing on tiptoe, she touched masks with him an approximation of a kiss and gave her father one last tight embrace before stepping back.

Rael took a moment to settle the cape of office around his shoulders and then turned to Lucy.

"I wish you all the best in your mission Shepard. I am glad that through my daughter, the Quarian people can do their part."

"You're leaving already?" Lucy enquired, offering the sword to Rael. Taking the blade and sheathing it in the same fluid motion, he nodded solemnly.

"I'm afraid I must. I have already delayed the migrant fleet longer than can be justified. No doubt I'll be getting a lecture from the rest of the board upon my return."

Lucy held up her hand, offering the thumb and two forefingers in her best imitation of the gesture she'd seen earlier. Rael placed his three fingers against hers with a nod of approval, before turning to leave.

"Farewell Shepard. May you and my daughter find happiness together."

Turning back to face his daughter, he added, "And farewell to you, my child. You will always be welcome on the Flotilla should our paths meet again. If not, remember what I said...nothing shall ever change it."

Lucy could feel Tali shiver beside her. Instinctively, she slid a protective arm around the young girl's waist, gently pulling her closer until their shoulders touched together. As Rael strode away, cape billowing around his feet, a sudden thought occurred to the spectre.

"Admiral!" she called after him, "How did you know where to find us?"

The elder Quarian turned, and looked at them blankly.

"I...I can't remember."

And with those words, he was gone.

* * *

"The consort will see you now. Enjoy your visit Mr. Von."

The portly Volus gave a tiny bow, before hopping down from his chair. His legs were stumpy and the way he walked almost comical, but no one present noticed; each too engrossed in whatever activity they were partaking in. When you had to wait months for an appointment, you didn't tend to care too much for the business of others.

The young acolyte, one of the newly appointed human species, at the foot of the stairs gestured for him to ascend. The steps were just a bit too high for him to easily manage, but when you worked on a station designed to accommodate all the different species, certain concessions had to be made. It was even worse for the Elcor. Outside of the embassies, few doorways were designed with them in mind, let alone the tiny pods of the rapid-transport system.

Now standing outside the doorway, Barla was aware that he should feel nervous. Certainly many in his position would be, even if they had visited Sha'ira before. No one could ever really guess what gifts the consort would give them...to most, she was utterly inscrutable.

He wasn't 'most'.

Pausing before entering, the Volus tapped a few keys on the control panel, navigating the citadel systems with a casual brilliance. In the space of a couple of seconds, he'd hacked the encryption on the internal communication systems and downloaded the specially prepared virus he'd uploaded earlier. The rouge piece of programming would stall any communication signals leaving the room long enough for him to accomplish his task. It would also lock the door behind him.

With the preparations completed, the banker entered the chambers.

As per usual, Sha'ira stood with her back to the rest of the room, apparently engrossed in one of the many priceless Asari art pieces that lined the walls. She didn't look round as he came in, but then again, why would she? She knew exactly who had just walked through the door. How complacent of her...

"Barla," Sha'ira's voice was a perfect blend of lyrical sensuality; utterly irresistible to practically any organic in the galaxy, "What brings you to me today?"

Her little game was almost cute. For a sack of organs and fluids, the consort was certainly quite smart; she'd managed to work her way to a position which was nigh-on untouchable. She had enough blackmail material to shut down any politician who may try and make a move against her.

"We had a deal Sha'ira," the voice that came from the Volus' mouthpiece was a far cry from it's usually, wheezy tones. Instead, it grated through the air like iron-filings scraping a metal surface "You double-crossed me."

That got the consort's attention. She whirled around, arm already raised and glowing with biotic energy. Barla Von simply laughed. There was no humour in the sound.

"Nobody crosses the Shadow Broker."

The Volus banker's body dissolved in the blink of an eye, dissipating into immaterial flickers of light. The hologram collapsed to reveal an immaculately dressed synthetic, with what could only be described as amusement playing across his skeletal features. Red lights mounted in artificial eye sockets shone with cold, calculating malice.

Sha'ira didn't hesitate; she threw a full force biotic blast straight at the Shadow Broker with enough power to stop a Thresher Maw in its tracks. Her attack lacked the finesse of a trained commando, after all it had been years since she has had to resort to violence, but like all Asari she possessed an innate ability for biotics more powerful than any other species. Her bolt streaked through the air faster than the eye could see, but didn't even make it half way before simply dissipating into nothing.

In the time it took for her to ready another attack, the synthetic man had crossed the space between them. His metallic hand closed around her throat, and as it did, the singularity at her fingertips sputtered and died. Whatever the Shadow Broker was made of, it seemed to absorb biotic energy.

Sha'ira grasped at the cold fingers gripping her neck, but robot's grip was like an unbreakable vice. With no evidence of any physical exertion, mechanical or otherwise, he hoisted the Asari into the air, holding her wriggling form a good foot off the ground.

"Did you give Shepard the Prothean relic?" his voice was low and dangerous.

"I...I," Sha'ira gasped, struggling to alleviate enough pressure for her to breathe "Please, I didn't..."

The Shadow Broker didn't give her a chance to answer. Instead, he threw the consort clean across her chambers, smashing her though the translucent pleasure-pod. Purple glass exploded everywhere, showering the room with razor-sharp fragments.

Rounding the wreckage of the bed, the malevolent synthetic advanced on the cowering Asari.

"Please!" there was nothing seductive about her voice...no musical undertones now. How quickly organics dropped their masks when faced with their own mortality. Asari were always the best; they lived so long they forgot what awaited them in the end.

"I-I didn't know!" now she was sobbing, it was so...undignified "Oh Goddess, I beg you! I'll tell you everything..."

"Yes, you will."

Clamping one hand across her mouth to stifle the inevitable screams, the Shadow Broker flexed the forefinger of the other. As he did, a long, thin spike extended from the tip. It grew to about a foot, revealing tiny, blue lights along its length.

"It's a pity, you won't survive the process."

Tightening his hold to prevent the Asari's squirming from disrupting the extraction, the synthetic position the tip of the bard between two folds of Sha'ira's head crests. Then, with a focused burst of strength, he drove it home.

* * *

Lucy watched the last furl of Rael's cape disappear into the airlock before turning to her Quarian partner. Tali was still trembling ever so slightly; enough for the spectre to justify a few on-duty displays of affection. Wrapping her other arm around the engineer's diminutive frame, Lucy hugged her tightly to her chest. One of her hands found its way up Tali's back, slipping under her shawl to rub soothing circles on the back of her neck.

"What did he say?"

The Quarian drew a shuddering breath.

"He told me he was proud of me." she whispered.

Lucy smiled warmly.

"He has every right to be."


	15. Chapter 15: Going Under

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 15 – Going Under**

After a few minutes that passed far too quickly, Lucy broke off the embrace.

"You going to be okay?"

Tali hesitated briefly, but nodded her head.

"Yes, don't worry about me; I guess I'm just a bit shaken."

"Your dad certainly knows how to make an entrance."

"I've never seen him like that before," the young Quarian glanced at the recently vacated airlock, as if expecting to see Rael re-enter at any moment. "I mean, I've seen him angry plenty of times, but that was unbelievable."

Her voice quavered noticeably as she spoke and it took her a few seconds to find the words she was looking for.

"I-I was so scared...for you; I thought he was going to kill you."

Lucy's hand instinctively went to her throat where the tip of the Admiral's sword had left a tiny nick in the skin. It was a sobering thought that, should he have wished it, Rael could have ended her tale there and then.

Refusing to let what might have been plague her thoughts, Lucy gave Tali a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.

"Well, I'm still here. You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

She couldn't resist placing a brief, chaste kiss on the top of her lover's head. Lucy wasn't sure exactly what it was about Tali that brought out her protective instincts, but she did know that the Admiral had been right. If it ever came down to it, she would put the young girl's safety above her own any day.

"I love you Tali."

She felt, rather than saw, the warmth of her lover's smile. It was uncanny how well she'd learnt to read the young Quarian; she hadn't even realised she could until they confessed their feelings for each other. Since then, her mind had attuned itself to picking up the subtle cues in Tali's body language.

"Those words will never cease to bring me joy Shepard."

"Well I hope not because I'll never get tired of saying them."

Lucy was certain she had the most gormlessly mushy expression adorning her features. She couldn't help it; whenever she was with Tali it took an active effort to remember that she was meant to be a tough-as-nails spectre whose primary duty was to protect the galaxy. There were times like now when she wished she could just forget the whole thing and give her young partner the love and attention she deserved.

Sadly, spending a romantic evening with Tali would do little to slow the Reaper's invasion plans. Until Saren and his Geth were brought to justice, their love life would have to work around their duty schedules.

With fond farewells and promises to meet in Lucy's cabin after their shifts, the two parted ways. It wasn't until Tali had exited down the stairs to engineering that the spectre suddenly recalled what had been curtailed by Rael's untimely arrival.

'Liara'

Making a sharp, 180˚ turn, the spectre hurried back to the Medbay, almost colliding with Garrus as he came up the stairs.

"Shepard, I wanted to congratulate you on the way you..."

"Not now Garrus! Kinda busy, sorry."

Before the Turian could formulate a response, Lucy had disappeared from view, leaving an apologetic and rather forced smile in her wake. Clicking his mandibles in his species form of a sigh, the C-Sec officer continued on his way.

"Nobody ever tells me anything."

* * *

After several near misses with most of her squad and awkwardly excusing herself from their questioning, Lucy finally arrived in the medical ward. The ever-present Doctor Chakwas glanced up at her as she entered.

"Anything to report?" the spectre enquired, nodding towards the bed where Liara lay unconscious. The medical officer's expression told her all she needed to know.

"It just doesn't make sense. According to her brainwaves, Liara may as well be asleep yet nothing I can do causes so much as a stir. Frankly, if your duel with the Quarian didn't wake her, I don't know what will. Speaking of which..."

Chakwas broke off mid sentence to rummage through a draw full to the brim with various pieces of medical equipment. After a few seconds of searching, she withdrew a liquid filled bag and handed it to the spectre.

"Ice pack. I was told you sustained a head injury, although from the hyperbole I've heard flying around it sounded more like decapitation."

Lucy accepted the bag without protest, suddenly too tired to offer any kind of token resistance. In the wake of all that had happened in the past few days, complaining about such a simple thing would seem rather petty.

"Thanks Doc," the spectre murmured, grinning at the scowl her colloquialism drew from the doctor "To be honest I'd completely forgotten about it."

"Yes, it's always the same with you." Chakwas remarked "So focused on protecting others that you forget to extend the same courtesy to yourself."

Lucy raised a quizzical eyebrow at her medical officer's tone.

"You're no good to anyone dead, least of all the people who love you."

"What brought all this on?"

The doctor cast a sidelong glance at the motionless Asari.

"She's been calling your name. At first I was sure I was imagining it, but it's definitely there. It's the only thing she's said aloud since the incident."

Lucy felt fresh pangs of sympathy for the comatose Asari. Her life had steadily gone from bad to worse and now she was left thinking there wasn't anyone in the whole galaxy who cared about her. Shepard was all too familiar with the feeling, having lost her parents to Batarian slavers when she was young, but at least then she'd had the Alliance and other, off world relations. Liara quite literally had nobody; or at least, that was how she saw it.

"What can I do Doc?" the spectre whispered, too tired to try and conceal her vulnerability. "Seeing her hurt like this is killing me but the only solution I can think of could potentially ruin the life of someone else. Someone I love very much."

Doctor Chakwas was no psychologist, but it was obvious Lucy wanted her advice as a fellow woman and friend, not a professional opinion. Of course, Shepard's situation was quite different to anything she'd ever experienced, but sometimes all it took was an impartial observer with no vested interests to help make sense of conflicting emotions.

"Does this other person know about your feelings for her?"

Lucy nodded, taking a moment to consider how Tali had reacted when she'd told her. The issue was still nowhere near settled. Beyond reassurances that it didn't diminish her love for the spectre, the Quarian had not really had a chance to actually voice her opinion.

"She does, but it's something of a grey area." Lucy admitted "We haven't really had a chance to talk things through, what with the mission on Verdus and then Rael showing up."

Chakwas nodded sagely, hopping up to sit of the operating table facing Liara's. Beside her, Shepard did the same.

"What makes you think there's actually a problem? How did Tali react to the news?"

"I guess it was naive of me to think you didn't know who I was talking about." Lucy smirked, although the humour didn't quite make it to her eyes. "At first, she was fine, but I think it just hadn't sunk in properly because I found her crying later on. God, that image is going to stay with me as long as I live."

"Did she say anything else?"

"She thought I loved Liara more than her. I-It was heartbreaking...she seemed to care more for my happiness than her own...as if she'd somehow failed me and not the other way round. I tried to explain as best I could and eventually, she seemed to accept what I was saying. We haven't really had the chance to talk any further...I was planning on addressing it tonight."

Doctor Chakwas spent long seconds considering what Lucy had told her. The spectre had an uncanny knack for attracting trouble, and it was evident this didn't end when she stepped off the battlefield.

"So, what you're saying is that Tali's reticence sprang from a feeling of inadequacy? She thought you had fallen for Liara because she wasn't good enough for you?"

"I-I guess so." Lucy muttered, surprised at the ring of truth in her officer's words. "God, she couldn't be more wrong if she tried...she means so much to me."

"Have you considered the possibility of a three-way relationship?"

Shepard glanced at the doctor in total shock.

"Oh come on Commander, this isn't the 2100's. People are less hung up about that kind of thing than when I was young. Besides, both Tali and Liara are different species; maybe it's not an uncommon occurrence amongst their people."

Lucy opened her mouth to tell Chakwas what a ludicrous idea it was, but found herself forced to close it without saying anything. Crazy as it might seem, there wasn't actually a single reason she could come up with to just dismiss the notion out of hand.

"I-I'll admit, the possibility hadn't really occurred to me." Lucy faltered, suddenly out of her depth.

"Well, I'm just speaking from a purely logical standpoint. Seems to me like you've loved your way into a corner, so to speak, and the only way to escape is by thinking outside the box."

Lucy was surprised to find that she was actually considering it. The thought had crossed her mind before, but only now did she actually realise that the possibility wasn't quite as far-fetched as it first sounded. There was still the more immediate problem however.

"You've certainly given me a lot to think about, but we're still no closer to finding a cure for Liara." Lucy sighed. Before it had seemed like a simple solution; confess her love for the Asari and hope it would be enough to reach her grief-stricken heart. Now though, it just didn't seem to be the right thing to do. There was absolutely no certainty that Tali would be in any way agreeable to the rather unorthodox plan. Until there was, anything she said to Liara could just be false hope...something far more destructive than no hope at all.

Then again, could she just sit by and do nothing when a woman she loved was in pain and the means to potentially end it lay within her power? It was an all or nothing thing...there was no guarantee Liara could even hear her, and it would certainly take something shocking and powerful to penetrate her subconscious.

"I'm at a loss," the doctor admitted, shaking her head sadly "The only thing I could think of that might help is if someone joined with her. Unfortunately, we'd need another Asari to initiate the link."

Shepard froze, the cogs of her mind spinning at an incredible rate. Of course; the answer was staring her in the face.

"Not necessarily Doc, I think I may have an idea."

"Care to share it with the class?"

Lucy felt a broad grin spread across her face. In any other situation, Chakwas' matronly attitude towards the spectre would be bordering on insubordination.

"Me and Liara share some kind of link," Lucy explained, already formulating her plan of action. "I'm not exactly sure of its nature; perhaps it's something to do with our joining after Therum. However it works, it's enabled me to subconsciously enter Liara's dreams while I'm asleep. It's how I knew she was in pain before Rael arrived."

A similar smirk appeared on the medical officer's face as comprehension dawned on her.

"And you're thinking that if I can induce the REM sleep when it occurs, you can use it to contact Liara, brilliant!"

"Can you do it?"

Chakwas scoffed "Of course I can, just give me a second to set it up."

Lucy hopped down from her perch, retreating to a safe distance whilst the doctor bustled around the Medbay, retrieving all the bits of apparatus she'd need. When she was done, the spectre reclined stiffly on one of the gurneys, glancing apprehensively at the half-dome of mesh that encased the top half of her head.

"That is just so I can measure your beta waves." Doctor Chakwas informed her, peeling the adhesive off several electrode pads "It'll let me know if you're in danger, not that I'm anticipating any."

Sticking the wires in place, the medical officer made a few quick checks before taking position at the control panel.

"Try to relax Commander, you'll begin to feel quite sleepy; just embrace the feeling as you normally would and the neural stimulator will do the rest."

Lucy gave the tiniest of nods, careful not to make contact with the sensors encircling her cranium.

"Wish me luck Doc."

Chakwas grimaced, and the last thing Lucy heard before she drifted off was her muttered grumbling.

"I hate it when people call me that."


	16. Chapter 16: Shadow Puppets

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 16 – Shadow Puppets**

Lucy awoke with a start. Blinking once to focus her vision, the tiled ceiling of the Medbay gradually appeared above her head.

"What happened, Doc? Why did you pull me out?"

When she was met by nothing but silence for several seconds, Lucy raised her head. There was no sign of the doctor. Glancing around, she quickly realised she was alone in the room; even Liara was missing from her bed.

"What the hell?" Lucy quickly slid off her plinth, mind racing as she struggled to think of an explanation. There was no way Doctor Chakwas would just leave during such a delicate procedure; something must be wrong. Something that gave her cause to move Liara but not her.

The room leaned precariously as Lucy got to her feet; a disorienting side effect of the neural stimulator. As she waited for her balance to re-assert itself, Shepard took the opportunity to double-check her surroundings for anything out of the ordinary.

When her dizziness hadn't passed thirty seconds later, Lucy began to worry. It was as if the Medbay was built on an incline; she only felt like she was standing upright when her entire body was leaning slightly into the slope of the room. It couldn't actually be tilting though; no type of malfunction in the artificial gravity of the ship could cause it to rotate twenty degrees. Besides when she went with the gradient, the mugs, pads and instruments adorning the counter remained at an impossible angle that would surely cause then to slide off.

By now, Lucy's instincts were screaming at her that something was very, very wrong. In the early days of neuroscience, there'd been all sorts of horror stories about people who's perception of reality was permanently altered due to a malfunction in the machines during treatment. What if something similar had happened to her? Was it reversible?

"Doctor? Doctor Chakwas!" the spectre shouted this time. Still no reply.

The incessant lean of the room was threatening a major headache. Lucy screwed her eyes tight shut, massaging the bridge of her nose in an effort to stop the throbbing pain that loomed from the corners of her mind.

When she opened them again, the room was back to normal.

Lucy sighed with relief. It must have just been a momentary imbalance brought about by exiting the neural stimulator too fast. Ordinarily, you were meant to be woken up in stages.

It quickly became apparent that no one was going to come and check on her. The brief relief that had accompanied her return to normality evaporated as Lucy considered what could cause such an absence of people. A tremor of fear fluttered in her chest at the thought that it somehow involved Liara; a logical conclusion since she had been moved. Tali was hardly any safer, and without a weapon, neither was she.

That could soon be remedied however. The spectre had given Liara a pistol back on Verdus and the Asari had no doubt stashed it with the rest of her gear in the medical store room.

Glad that she had a plan, albeit a very temporary one, Lucy turned towards the doorway to Liara's quarters. What she saw next made her recoil in absolute horror.

Blood.

There was purple Asari blood completely covering the operating table Liara had been lying on; a great pool of it reflecting the strip lighting overhead. Droplets spilled over the edges, falling to the deck beneath and staining it a dark magenta.

There was no way someone could lose that much blood and live.

Lucy felt sick. She'd seen blood before of course, no soldier as long-serving as her hadn't...but the thought that it belonged to the young scientist she'd been trying to revive was nauseating in the extreme. What in God's name had happened? Had it been there when she'd woken up? Surely she'd have seen it.

Clamping down on the lump in her throat, Shepard forced her cold, military logic between her and her emotions. There was no guarantee the blood belonged to Liara. Perhaps the ship had been attacked and one of the intruders had been Asari. It sounded far-fetched, even to her, but she refused to feel sorrow until she was absolutely certain there was no other explanation.

Careful to avoid looking too closely at the grisly sight, Lucy picked her way around the foot of the bed and into the antechamber beyond. Thankfully, the room appeared undisturbed and it was a simple matter to find the trunk where Liara's armour was kept. As per her predictions, the pistol she'd loaned to the Asari rested neatly on top, immaculately maintained like everything else Liara owned.

Retrieving the weapon, the spectre realized that the terminal on the desk opposite her may hold some answers. At the very least, it would give her rudimentary access to the Normandy's computer core; enough to ascertain if there was any damage to the vessel and the condition of the crew. At this point, whatever lay beyond the Medbay doors was an unknown quantity, and Lucy wanted to know as much as she could before potentially walking into a trap.

After several frustrating attempts however, the terminal still refused to boot. The screen came on, but displayed nothing but flickering white noise. Either there was a fault with this particular console, or the Normandy's VI had been disabled. Judging by the blood and lack of any apparent life, Lucy was forced to admit that the latter was more likely.

Clutching her gun tighter, the spectre came to a snap decision. Skulking in the Medbay wasn't going to help her or her crew. If the ship had been attacked, she'd been left alive for a reason and she was willing to bet whoever had done so would not simply shoot her on sight. There was still a slim chance that the situation could be resolved without further violence.

That being said, Shepard felt a lot better knowing that she had some firepower.

Prowling back through the Medbay, Lucy came up short of activating the door's proximity sensor. She shifted her stance into a firing position; ready to open up on any hostiles that were right outside. It gave the spectre no small amount of discomfort to know that she'd be unable to rely on any biotic powers...she hadn't had the opportunity to get a replacement implant after Verdus.

Sucking in a steadying breath, Lucy stepped forward and the doors opened.

What met her eyes was the closest thing she'd ever seen to a vision of hell.

The regular cabin lighting had been reprogrammed to a sickly blue that made everything beneath it look pale and withered. The bulkheads and control panels around the mess had been twisted and deformed, as if some great hand had simply crushed them like tin cans. Jagged edges of metal and sparking electrical wires transformed the once social area into a deathtrap where one wrong move could result in serious injury. Not even the deck plates had been spared, many having been ripped up or warped so badly they no longer fit.

The crew hadn't fared much better. As Lucy entered the room, at least ten sets of lifeless eyes turned to face her, glowing with the same dead blue light that shone from the ceiling. Every last one of them had been transformed...their skin implanted the with cybernetics that turned living, breathing people into mindless Husks.

These weren't just unknown civilians and soldiers like the undead on Eden Prime or Verdus. Lucy had known each and every face which now angled blankly towards her. From the looks of it, the assimilation had been recent; their flesh still maintained its original pallor as opposed to the monochrome grey of the others she'd encountered. Even at a glance, she could identify Doctor Chakwas amongst the horde; her absence finally explained.

This time, it was simple fear which prevented the spectre expelling her stomach contents. No amount of training or battlefield experience could prepare one for the sight of your entire crew, friends, horrifically twisted into thralls of the enemy. When Lucy returned their gaze, she saw absolutely nothing...there was no trace at all of who they had once been. The Husk's may wear her colleague's faces, but the people behind them was long gone, ripped from their bodies.

This was it.

Saren had won.

Saren had beaten them and there hadn't been a damn thing Lucy could do about it. No doubt he'd left her alive purely so he could enjoy watching her former crew tear her apart. She could just imagine how much the sight would amuse him.

In the brief seconds she had before the Husk's broken minds registered her as an enemy, Lucy sent silent thanks to whoever was listening that she could not spot Liara or Tali amongst the cyborgs. She was under no illusion that they still lived, but a clean death was like luxury compared to what the wretches before her endured.

It was that thought that spurred her into action. There was no real hope of escape...if the entire crew was turned, then it was her versus about fifty Husks. In such close quarters they would overwhelm the spectre easily, able to throw themselves at her until her pistol overheated. Perhaps if Lucy put up enough resistance, they would deem it easier just to kill her than try and capture her body intact for transformation.

Levelling her gun at the closest Husk, the remnants of what had once been Kaiden, Lucy squeezed the trigger.

No shots left the barrel.

The spectre watched in horror as the weapon simply disintegrated in her hands, collapsing into a pile of ash which trickled away through her parted fingers.

A harsh, rasping laugh echoed through the otherwise silent chamber. As it did, the Geth undead shuffled back towards the walls, heedless of the cuts the gutted walls scored on their flesh. The noise prickled along Lucy's spine, setting every nerve in her body on edge. It just sounded...wrong, as if no sound of that kind should be allowed to exist.

From behind the shaft that housed the lift to the cargo bay, a perfectly composed figure emerged. The synthetic man was dressed in funeral black and would not have looked out of place bearing a coffin over one shoulder. In his right hand, he dragged a limp figure whose legs were apparently unable to support its own weight. Only when he stepped into one of the many pools of light did Lucy recognize a familiar, purple shawl.

With apparently no effort at all, the Shadow Broker hoisted a trembling Tali to her feet. He kept his hand clamped tightly around the back of her neck, preventing the young girl from making any effort to escape...not that there was anywhere to run to.

"Ah, Commander Shepard, I was wondering when you would join us."

Lucy choked back a sob at the piteous sight. One of Tali's legs rested at an awkward angle; the delicate bones of her raised ankle joint clearly broken. The Quarian's suit was torn in several places and her visor was cracked from corner to corner, slowly seeping the gasses that normally remained trapped inside. If the holes in her defences weren't repaired soon, there was a very real risk that Tali could die.

"Let her go you, son of a bitch; she's done nothing to you." Lucy's voice thrummed with an anger she hadn't even known she was capable of.

The Shadow Broker tilted his head slightly, his features alien and unreadable.

"If you want."

With a jerk of his arm, the information dealer sent Tali stumbling from his grasp. Lucy rushed forward to meet her, but was unable to prevent the young girl's weight from falling squarely on her injured leg. A choking cry of agony escaped from the Quarian's lips, a sound which filled the spectre with her own empathic pain; tearing at her heart like a rabid varren.

Lucy scooped her arms around Tali's torso, pulling her close and supporting the panicked girl's weight. She could feel the fright radiating off her lover in palpable waves and did her best to soothe it, although given their current situation, it was an all but futile endeavour.

"Who are you?" she snarled over Tali's quivering shoulder "What do you want with us?"

"I think a better question would be 'what do I want with you?'" the Shadow Broker replied, not making any attempt to move from where he stood "I have no buisness with your crew or your Quarian; they are simply tools which I can use to my advantage."

The synthetic man began to pace, his top hat casting periodic shadows across his features as he moved in and out of the light.

"You see Shepard, only a fool follows the path of a paragon. You vaunt your human emotions: compassion, mercy, love, as ideals to which all should aspire. In the end however, they only serve to increase your organic fallibility. See how easily I can control you...I realised early on that it was not your own life I should threaten for maximum effect, but those of the ones you care for. Observe."

Two Husks, the remains of Pressley and Williams, emerged from the gloom, bearing a stretcher between them. On it lay the unconscious Liara, covered up to her neck by a white sheet normally used to robe corpses. Lucy was unable to tell if she had sustained any injury, but her face was distinctly paler than normal. Attached around her neck was a bulky metal collar with several vials of a murky green liquid protruding from it at regular intervals. Shepard didn't recognise what it was, but chances were it was bad news.

"This," the Shadow Broker said, indicating the object of Lucy's attention, "is a Batarian discipline collar; a device so cruel that even slavers avoid using it. At a mere thought from me, your pet Asari will be injected with a controlled dose of moonsnake venom. In small quantities, it is said to be the most agonizing experience a living organism can endure. In large amounts, the result is a prolonged and excruciating death. So long as you obey my every command, I will not have cause to observe its effects first-hand."

Lucy's response was automatic.

"Put the collar on me. If I'm the one you want to control, then punish me for my mistakes."

"That's not how this works Shepard, you will carry out my commands or she will suffer."

Lucy bit down on the urge to scream. Unconsciously, she hugged Tali closer to her chest, desperate for every ounce of emotional support the young girl could give her. There was no way out...nothing she could do but accept whatever terms this unspeakably evil stranger gave her.

"What do you want me to do?" she spat the words with every ounce of hatred she possessed.

"It's quite simple really," the Shadow Broker stated, his emotionless voice somehow conveying a malicious joy. "I want you to break her fingers."


	17. Chapter 17: Shock And Awe

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 17 – Shock And Awe**

Lucy felt the blood drain from her face. Surely she hadn't just heard what she thought she had?

"You want me...to do what?"

"Did I not make myself clear enough?" the Shadow Broker hissed with a dangerous note of warning. "Break her fingers or I'll kill Miss Liara T'Soni and feed her to the Husks. Maybe I'll kill Tali as well, or maybe I'll just let an infection do the job for me; whichever is slower. If you want to see them survive, you'd better do what I say. Now break her fingers."

Lucy felt numb. The synthetic's threats washed over her, and although she understood the words, it felt as if she was detached from the thought processes involved in comprehending them. Her mind was simply unable to come to terms with such pure and unfeeling evil. She'd seen her fair share of cruelty, starting with the slavers on Mindor, continuing throughout her life as a soldier and afterwards as a spectre. She'd seen people reduced to debauched animals; blood sport, torture, all sorts of horrors that most people would deny existed if told.

But now, Lucy was forced to be a part of it. The stranger coercing her had no emotion; he did what he did because he knew it was the fastest way to break her down. In a way, it was far worse than someone who enjoyed the process. The Shadow Broker reduced inhuman suffering to a simple tool, where all that mattered was maximising the psychological damage done to his target. Tali and Liara were merely resources; to be used as a bargaining chip until they were depleted, then cast aside.

It couldn't even be called barbaric or sick. Those terms meant nothing to someone who didn't make a distinction between right and wrong. The Shadow Broker was above morality: a chilling reminder of the dangers a true AI could pose when unconstrained by a code of ethics. To him, whether someone lived or died was just another variable.

Lucy had never felt an urge to murder before. Being a soldier, learning to kill was part of the package. As a spectre, she only took lives when there was no other option; Shepard had to have a damn good reason to pull the trigger on anyone. In her experience, even the most vile of criminals could be reasoned with...made to feel pity or guilt over their actions. There was always that tiny spark that reminded her that she was about to end another living being's life. Whilst sometime she was forced to go through with it, that glimmer of compassion was enough to make her hesitate and truly consider all other possible options.

With the Shadow Broker, there was nothing; no matter how hard she tried, Lucy could see no conscience in him. For the first time in her life, the spectre was completely convinced that taking a 'life' was not only the right thing to do, but a favour to the galaxy. She'd feel no regret; would not feel the urge to reanalyze her decision to see if there could have been another way. Lucy wanted him gone; whether by her hands or another, she'd enjoy watching his destruction.

Her wishes, however, was immaterial at this point. The Shadow Broker had Lucy right where he wanted her and unless she could manage some impossible rescue, the spectre would have to comply. If it was just her life on the line, she'd chance it in an instant. When others were involved however, it was too great a risk.

But how could she possibly do what he demanded..?

Lucy felt the vice-like grip around her chest loosen as Tali stirred. The Quarian's body still shook like a leaf caught in a gale but she did her best to ignore it; instead seeking her lover's hands with her own. Mutely, Tali slipped one of her long, flexible fingers into Lucy's limp grasp, closing the spectre's own digits around it with the other two. When she resumed the hug, Lucy couldn't help but notice the tension in her every muscle. Whereas before Tali's torso had moulded tightly to the spectre's own, it was now stiff and rigid; like embracing a plank of petrified wood.

Her finger felt so frail. It was a digit of infinite finesse, whether it be working an omni-tool or manipulating a ship's drive core; something to be treasured and loved. Lucy had felt first-hand how gentle they could be: brushing against her skin in a tender caress, they acted as a conduit for the love they shared. To harm them in any way would be criminal; a horrific act of unspeakable cruelty.

"Do it Shepard," the young girl whispered, pressing herself closer and crushing their entwined hands tightly together "P-Please, just do it."

Lucy could feel Tali's heart palpitating at a rate she didn't believe possible in a living being. It was the only clue of how truly terrified the young Quarian was.

"Oh God, Tali..." she bit back the words, having to put all her effort into stemming the tears that encroached on her vision. It broke her heart thinking of what she was about to do, but above all, she wouldn't give the Shadow Broker the satisfaction of seeing her weep. She had to be a limitless fountain of strength; not for herself, but for the trusting young girl who was prepared to endure mutilation for all their sakes.

"I'm -sorry, my love," Lucy whispered, tightening her grip as gently as she could "I'm so, _so_ sorry."

It happened in less time than it takes to blink. Lucy twisted her wrist, simultaneously clamping Tali's digit against her palm to prevent it slipping. With a sound of cracking bones, accompanied by a sickly pop as the joint came free, the finger snapped.

Lucy felt it go limp in her grasp, accompanied by a suppressed cry of agony from its owner. The sound was incoherent, but the desperation it conveyed was enough to loosen some tears from Shepard's eyes. She found herself nuzzling into the soft curve of Tali's neck, seeking to impart as much strength as she could and hiding her sobs from view. The irony that she was comforting her lover from a wound she'd just inflicted was by no means lost on Lucy.

"You're so brave darling," she whispered, taking another finger in her own, trembling grip. "I'll make it as quick as I can."

Lucy wrenched again, and the Quarian's second digit broke as easily as the first. The spectre heard a whimper escape Tali's mouth, accompanied by trembling vibrations along her throat. It was easy enough to tell that the young girl was crying, but she did her best to hide it. The thought that Tali would try and control her distress to make Shepard's job easier affected the spectre on some profound level that flooded her heart with a surge of fresh love.

As she felt the third finger snap and fall uselessly from her clutch, Lucy was barely able to hold herself together. Despite Tali's best efforts, the noises that she made were thick with pain and anguish, each one cutting a little deeper into the spectre's resolve. Panic threatened to set in, and the thought of torturing her precious engineer by repeating the process on her second hand was unthinkable.

"I-I can't go on," Lucy's voice was raspy and broken, as if it hadn't been used for years "Oh god, I can't do this to you! H-How can I...? I just...I..."

Shepard felt her legs crumple like paper, and was unable to stop herself collapsing to the deck. She didn't bother to try and stop the tears that streamed down her cheeks; what was the point? In all likelihood the Shadow Broker would simply kill them all once he got what he wanted from Lucy. She was powerless, even to protect those dearest to her...and now she'd proven too weak to perform the one act that might save them. To say she felt wretched didn't even begin to cover it.

A reflection caught her eye; different from the pearly tears that dotted the floor where she'd landed. Somewhere amongst the pain and grief that fogged her mind, Lucy recognised it as the Prothean trinket the consort had gifted to her. She'd never found a use for it, but had kept it on her just in case.

Looking closer, she noticed that what she'd thought was light bouncing off its metallic surface was actually a faint glow emanating from within the stone set at its centre. It pulsed with the rhythm of a heartbeat, each time returning slightly brighter than before. Lucy nearly laughed at the sight; wasn't it just typical that it chose now, of all times, to start working?

She suddenly froze as the implication hit home. What were the chances of this being a coincidence? There was no reason for it to suddenly activate unless something nearby caused it to do so...

"It's unfortunate that we cannot come to an agreement," the Shadow Broker said, his syllables touched with a robotic cadence "Now your little scientist will suffer because of it. Perhaps the sight of her tortured corpse will change your mind."

Lucy adjusted her position, shielding the amulet from view using her body. She had mere seconds until the synthetic man activated the slave collar, and she was determined to stop him before that happened. Maybe the Prothean artefact would help, and maybe it wouldn't: either way, doing something was preferable to sitting there, being subjected to the screams of an agonized Asari.

Clutching the trinket tightly, Lucy could feel the power radiating from it as a steady warmth against the palm of her hand. The heat spread up her arm, energizing weary muscles and making her blood sing with sensation. It raced through her veins until, a short second later, the spectre felt it's ethereal presence enter her mind. Like the vision on Eden Prime, it was alien and mostly undecipherable; but amongst the confusion, fragments of sense stood out. Lucy found herself instinctively aware of the devices functions and exactly how to use them.

Feeling invigorated by this fresh burst of energy, the spectre was able to reign in her pessimism. The situation had been hopeless before, but now she had a way to fight back. Now she had a way to protect the women she loved. Leaping to her feet; blinding white light leaking between her clenched fingers, Lucy turned to face her adversary.

"I don't answer to you," she snarled at the Shadow Broker, "Release Liara now or I swear to God you will regret the consequences."

"Your defiance is spirited," the synthetic replied, prowling around the Asari's vulnerable form like a circling vulture "But it will take more than the bauble of a long-dead race to stop me."

"This is my ship," Lucy spat back, advancing on the machine who transformed her life into a living hell. "No matter what you do to the Normandy or its crew I am in command, and I order you to let her go!"

The Shadow Broker paused, and for the briefest of naive moments, the spectre thought he was actually listening to her.

Then he laughed…

The noise grated against her eardrums like a rusty file being scraped across metal…harsh and unfettered with humour on any kind. Nothing but cold logic, designed to unnerve and intimidate.

It worked surprisingly well.

Before her disbelieving eyes, the hull of the Normandy began to peel away. Panels simply buckled and warped; ripping themselves from their mountings as if torn apart by a hurricane of unimaginable power. Huge holes blossomed across the walls, expanding rapidly as more and more plates were removed.

Beyond, the inky blackness of space had been replaced by a whirlwind of light and sound. Lucy's senses were assaulted by the sudden intense stimuli, her eyes and ears unable to adequately convey everything at once. She stumbled blindly; the cacophony forcing any thoughts of escape or protection from her head and driving her to the floor.

When she was finally able to adjust to the barrage of sensation, Lucy forced herself to look at what was happening.

The entire top half of the Normandy was missing, peeled away like a tin of sardines and exposed to the maelstrom beyond. All around Shepard, the cyclone raged, furious and maddening, yet unable to touch her or the others. Whether it was due to the amulet or the Shadow Broker was unclear, yet the latter seemed more plausible as Lucy fixed her horrified gaze on what lay off the starboard bow.

The synthetic had vanished from his position next to Liara, and now occupied her entire field of view. Like a great leviathan from Earth mythology, he loomed over the tiny craft, colossal and terrifying in equal measure. The sight would have been awe inspiring, were it not for the adrenaline-fuelled fury and fear that coursed through Lucy's veins.

The Shadow Broker leaned in close, his skeletal jaw easily big enough to swallow the Normandy whole. Whereas before his eyes had glowed with a deep, crimson menace, they were now alight with an eldritch fire, burning with the intensity of twin suns…vast and inscrutable.

"You are incorrect Commander Shepard," as he spoke, his words resonated throughout the inferno; echoing and multiplying to a thunderous level "This is not your ship."

"This…is your nightmare."


	18. Chapter 18: Vile Machinations

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 18 – Vile Machinations**

Liara's eyes snapped open. For the past four hours she'd been meditating, reinforcing her mental walls and trying to restore some degree of rationality to her muddled thoughts. She was trapped within her own head, unable to make any meaningful contact with the outside world or regain control of her body. Her only solace was the utterly pervasive silence that granted her enough clarity of mind to try and keep the lid on a seething mess of fear and anguish that threatened to break free at any moment.

So why could she now hear footsteps?

Footsteps!? But there wasn't anyone else here...

"Miss T'Soni?"

Liara whirled around, or at least, attempted to do so. The cross-legged position she'd been sitting in left little room for manoeuvrability, and resulted in a rather ungraceful effort to simultaneously disentangle her limbs and get to her feet. No doubt if the voice belonged to an attacker, she'd have been dead already. Fortunately, whoever it was made no attempt to capitalise on her clumsiness; instead waiting patiently for her to face them.

Liara's first instinct was to believe it was simply her mind playing tricks. It was a well documented phenomenon...a brain without adequate sensory input invents its own to alleviate boredom, manifesting as hallucinations. They were usually fleeting however, lacking in either form or detail; easily identifiable for what they were.

The synthetic standing before her now failed to match that description. Liara couldn't put a name to the type of clothing he was wearing, but judging by his body structure and male appearance, it was probably of human origin. That was where the similarities ended however. There was nothing human, or even inherently _alive_ about his skeletal features, crimson eyes or polished metal skin.

Only three words came to mind.

"Who are you?"

"A valid question without a valid answer. I am many things to many people." He responded, "But what is relevant right now is that I am here to help you. Consider me a friend."

Help her? Friend? Liara looked around her at the endless blackness that stretched to eternity in every direction. What the stranger said made no sense...how was he even contacting her? Despite the Asari's mistrust, the glimmer of hope his presence sparked into life could not be ignored. After all, if he could get into her mind, he must also have a way back out again.

"How did you get to me?" She asked eventually, trepidation keeping her desire for freedom in check, "I've been trying to contact the outside world for ages."

Remembering her failed attempt to confess her feelings to Lucy, Liara was compelled to ask.

"D-Did she hear me? Did she send you in to rescue me?"

The robotic man regarded her evenly, and as he did, Liara felt her surge of excitement wither and die. She was jumping to conclusions; something that was fast becoming a most unwelcome habit.

"It is not within my power to rescue you." He said at last, his voice matter-of-fact, "Nor can I guarantee your doctor will be able to either. You are already nearing the point of no return."

The words took a few numb seconds to sink in.

Dying?

She was dying?

How was that even possible?

"I..." Liara struggled; her ability to breath suddenly impaired, "I...Oh Goddess, I can't...not yet, there's still so much for me to say...she wouldn't...she has to know...this can't be happening!"

"I am sorry." The synthetic replied, the sentiment falling flat when spoken so emotionlessly, "But do not give in to despair just yet. There may still be a way to set things right."

Withdrawing a data pad from some interior pocket and consulting it, the mysterious man read aloud.

"Lucy Shepard; captain of the SSV Normandy."

He paused, staring intently at the display for several seconds.

"That is correct? Your soulmate...you have found her?"

"I did..." Liara whispered, her stilted words reverberating against the growing lump in her throat, "But by the time I realised how much I-I...it was too late."

Feeling tears prick at her eyes, she let her head hang limply.

"She fell in love with someone...and it wasn't me."

After long seconds of silence, Liara felt a stiff, metallic hand rest of her shoulder. The sensation was unsettling. It was the same feeling she got when on a dig; a sense of great inner peacefulness tainted by the thought that she was making a career out of another species tragedy. As with all emotions, it was impossible to rationalize how she felt, or attribute it to any particular evidence. Something about this mysterious figure made her nervous. Then again, the thought of talking to Lucy had always had a similar effect. It was impossible to be sure if her instincts were true.

Remembering those little conversations they'd shared brought a smile to Liara's lips. She may never see Lucy again, but those talks they'd had would be something she'd cherish until her dying moment.

"You are distressed." The synthetic stated, "You feel that you have failed...that you are to die without your life ever having true meaning. You fear that no one, not even the woman who means so much to you, will mourn your passing."

It took Liara nearly a minute to muster the will to reply.

"Yes," She said at last, her voice heavy with defeat, "I...I'm so s-scared. Please...I can't let it end like this...without her. There must be something you can do!"

"There are other options." The stranger agreed, taking a few steps back, "Come, let me show you the alternative."

He gestured once with his hand, and the blackness began to recede. Liara could feel its malignant presence in her head like a torrent of icy water trickling over her skin. The sensation was unpleasant, but didn't last for more than a few seconds. By the time it passed, the scene had changed completely.

The Asari maiden was back in the dingy little storage room she'd been calling home for the past few months; or at least, her mental recreation of it. Apparently her eye for detail was as keen as ever...everything was just as it had been when she left. From the computer monitor and its display of Prothean research notes, to the jumble of data pads she'd been meaning to sort through at the next convenient opportunity; it was all exactly as she remembered.

Even the small camp bed was...

The faintest of chuckles fell on Liara's deaf ears as she spotted the one 'addition' to what was otherwise a flawless replica of her quarters. The Asari felt her jaw fall slack, and it took her several seconds to muster the presence of mind to scoop it off the floor. Breathlessly, she took in the exquisite sight. It was one she'd seen countless times before; taunting her as she tried in vain to fall asleep.

"Oh Goddess," Liara whispered, unsure whether it was a plea or a blessing.

Lucy was lying in her bed.

It sounded like such a simple, ordinary observation, but to Liara the implications were...inconceivable.

She took a step forward. For those first few seconds, she forgot her self-consciousness and allowed her eyes to roam over the expanse of creamy skin on display. It was perfect, not that she'd have expected any less. Lucy's dashing entry into her life brought to mind many adjectives she'd never had cause to use before; 'perfect' was just one of them, although perhaps the most fitting.

Liara could gaze at the spectre forever, although she was grateful for the fact that a sheet covered most of her body. Once the initial shock had worn off, it did make her feel a tad voyeuristic to be..._ogling_ the spectre so obviously. At least this way, her appreciation could be kept purely platonic.

Alright...somewhat platonic.

Acting quickly before she could talk herself down, Liara inched closer, her eyes gravitating towards the peaceful expression on the spectre's face. She'd seen Lucy sleeping before, right after the daring rescue mission on Therum, and just as she had been then, the Asari was moved by the drastic change that took place across all her facial features. Shepard always put on a brave facade and a friendly smile, but after studying each minutia oh how her expressions shifted, Liara had come to see the tenseness and the stress that lurked just beneath the surface. Now, free from the worries of the day, Lucy's face was transformed. Were it not for her knowledge of Shepard's life, Liara would not have been able to guess that those gently closed eyelids or slightly parted lips belonged to a career soldier.

Lucy was gorgeous. Before their fateful encounter, she would never have imagined that one being could encapsulate more beauty than an entire planet. There were vistas on Thessia so exquisite that even the most hardened of mercenaries wept at the sight; yet somehow the sapphire moonrise over the crystal lakes of Saria seemed shallow and empty when compared with her soulmate.

Sinking to her knees, Liara could feel herself shaking violently. Her face was now just inches away from Lucy's sleeping form; the thrill of their proximity sending shivers down her spine. She could live her life like this. No food, no water...just this incredible closeness to keep her sustained. Shepard's scent could be her oxygen and the taste of her lips, a banquet sweet enough to satisfy any hunger.

"I can give you what you want." She could sense the synthetic behind her, his gaze unblinking and expressionless, "A life with your loved one, a sense of belonging. To you, it would feel as real as the waking world. All you have to do is let go...sever your link with reality and embrace the coming darkness. Once you soul is adrift, I can guide it away from the shadow of death and towards the light."

Liara felt her breath catch. What he was asking was almost beyond belief...to give up all hope of recovery; to forsake those who needed her for purely selfish reasons.

Even to Liara, such arguments felt weak. Shepard needed her about as much as she needed a paperweight. She couldn't fight, not properly, she was just a liability. It would be better for everyone if she had never joined the crew in the first place.

"You won't even know things have changed." The stranger continued, oblivious to the internal conflict the maiden struggled to resolve, "Memory fabrication is a particular speciality of mine. Do you want to remain on the Normandy, fighting side by side with Shepard as she saves the galaxy? Perhaps you would prefer a more sedate lifestyle? I can place you on Thessia, give you a job as an eminent archaeologist. Shepard could be the escort who accompanied you on dangerous expeditions and eventually stole your heart. Maybe some children too? How many do you want? What colour should their eyes be? Possibly a light..."

"Stop!" Liara wailed, her vision of Shepards's sleeping form blurring from freshly formed tears. The mental images bombarded her from all directions; memory-like snippets of Lucy's smiling face cheek-to-cheek with a tiny blue infant. It was followed by another, and another; a whole collage of snapshots from the life she longed to have. They'd be so happy; no mission, no Reapers...just their love for each other.

Liara slumped forward, burying her face in the folds of cloth that covered Lucy's navel and weeping profusely. She was tired...so desperately tired of the constant loneliness. It was pointless trying to think rationally anymore; her heart had decided the second she'd seen Shepard sleeping in her bed.

"I-I'll do it." Liara choked, lifting her head just enough to gaze at her soulmate's gentle features, "Oh Goddess! I'll do it!"

"Very well." The Shadow Broker said, the ghost of a smile gracing his threadbare jaw, "Come with me, I will show you what to do."

Liara rose to her feet, gazing at her sleeping angel.

"We'll be together soon my love..."

* * *

Somewhere in the bowels of the citadel, in an office protected by absolute secrecy, the glowing tip of a cigar served as the only illumination. It's sole occupant laughed softly to himself. All this contact with organics must be having a bad influence...he could almost swear he was enjoying himself.


	19. Chapter 19: Awakenings I

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 19 – Awakenings I**

"Shepard! Shepard, can you hear me?"

Lucy groaned softly as the voice wormed its way into her ears. It felt like someone had plugged every nook in her skull with cotton wool and then clobbered her over the head for good measure. She'd only been lucid a few seconds and she could already feel the onset of a massive migraine. Even in her dazed state, however, it was hard to miss the urgent tone

"Wha-" she ventured, irritated when nothing but a slurred grunt came out. Forcing her eyes to part slightly, she tried again. "Doc, is that you?"

"_Doctor, _is that you?" corrected the somewhat exasperated voice, "And yes, it is me."

"Let's keep it down a bit shall we." Lucy hissed, bringing a hand up to nurse her aching sinuses. When she was content that her forehead wasn't about to implode, she continued "What in god's name happened?"

"I was rather eager to ask you the same question." Chakwas replied "While you were under, the ship was attacked."

"What?!" Shepard yelled, instantly regretting it as fresh waves of pain rolled over her "Is anyone inured? Are we damaged?" She struggled to sit up, but a firm hand pushed her back down.

"We're fine. The only person who isn't, or rather - shouldn't be, is you." The doctor was pacing; something Lucy only knew she did when she was nervous. "It wasn't an 'attack' in the physical sense. Our computer systems were invaded by some sort of rogue AI that seemed intent on targeting the neural stimulator."

"Guess that explains this headache." Shepard commented absently, struggling to makes sense of what she was hearing. Rogue AI? This was bad news.

"It took control of the device." Chakwas continued "Effectively taking control of your subconscious. I have no idea what it did to you but-" She trailed off, hesitating.

"But?" Lucy prompted, frustrated at having to play catch-up.

"Well, you were screaming...pretty loudly." The medical officer's face was pale. "It was...well, it was very disconcerting. For all I knew you were dying or being tortured or god knows what. The AI was in control of the systems, I couldn't get any readings from anything."

She drew a steadying breath before asking "Can you remember anything Commander? Anything at all that might give me some insight into what happened to you."

Lucy tried. She really did. But no matter how much she willed herself, the last thing she could recall was closing her eyes as the neural stimulator put her to sleep.

"There's nothing." she said at last "Just one big empty space from then until now."

"That's too bad." Chakwas frowned "Still, the scans indicate that you're as healthy as ever. As long as you're sure that you're okay, I'll release you back to active duty. Just promise me you'll come straight back if you feel or remember anything."

"I promise Doc."

"Joker's prepared a report on the particulars of the attack for you to review as soon as you're able, but I'm guessing you'll want to hear the good news first.

"Good news?" Lucy looked at Chakwas nonplussed.

Before the doctor could continue, a faint groan attracted both their attentions, accompanied by the sound of shifting sheets.

"Lucy?" said a very husky, very familiar voice "Is that you?"

"Yes." Chakwas said quietly, more to herself than anyone else, "Good news."


	20. Chapter 20: The Calm Before The Storm

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 20 – The Calm Before The Storm**

A crush of thoughts and emotions announced their arrival in Lucy's head with another splitting jolt of pain. Her very first impression upon seeing a bleary eyed, somewhat dazed Liara push herself into a half-sitting position was one of utter relief. Against all the odds, she was alive and well. This was rapidly followed by confusion and concern in equal measure. She had most definitely failed in her mission to contact Liara's subconscious, so what was the explanation for her sudden awakening? Was she okay? _God, she's beautiful. Just look at that skin; I don't think I've ever seen such a lovely shade of..._

"Yes d-yes, it's me." Lucy stumbled over her words. She had to refrain herself from referring to the Asari by any affectionate names. After all that had happened; after realizing that her love for Liara was returned with an equal degree of intensity, it was hard to remember that they were still not romantically involved.

Looking at her now was an apt reminder. Every time she glanced at the Asari, she could see the pain in her eyes. To know that she had the power to erase that suffering with three simple words was driving her insane. Her whole body yearned to tell Liara the truth...

She couldn't. No, that wasn't true; she wouldn't...not yet. In the long run, it would simply make everything worse. It had to be this way...it just had to be.

Her resolve was wavering, and it scared Shepard more than any Reaper or Geth ever could.

"What happened?" Liara was asking, eyes darting nervously between Dr. Chakwas and the bed where Lucy was still semi-reclined "Why am I in the Medbay?"

Shepard could see her medical officer about to answer, and she knew she had to cut her off. If they revealed that they knew the cause of Liara's condition, it could put both her and the young maiden in a very difficult and embarrassing situation. Much as it wounded her to do it, Lucy had to maintain the facade that she was oblivious to the Asari's true feelings.

_Hang in there darling,_ She thought to herself _I'll sort this mess out, I promise. Just bare with me for a bit longer._

Out loud she interjected, "We don't know. Chief Williams and Lt. Alenko reported that you collapsed in the cafeteria." Giving Chakwas a quick look to try and convey to her what she was doing, Lucy added "Our scans were inconclusive."

Liara's eyes widened with confusion in a way Lucy thought would have been absolutely adorable, under different circumstances.

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"Nearly two days." Chakwas replied before Lucy could answer "I wouldn't worry though if I were you. I studied some textbooks on Asari physiology when you came aboard. Apparently, in rare cases, Asari maidens can experience prolonged feelings of dizziness, loss of motor control and temporary loss of consciousness as their innate empathic abilities assert themselves."

Offering Liara a warm smile, she finished "You were lucky that it happened onboard the Normandy, and not on a mission."

Lucy silently thanked Chakwas for her quick thinking. She just prayed that she hadn't made the whole thing up, or Liara's tireless curiosity was bound to be their undoing. Of course, the young Asari would know that they were wrong; but as long as she thought that they thought that they were correct, she wouldn't have to suffer the perceived humiliation of having her feelings revealed in such an embarrassing manner.

_No wonder I've got a headache._

"Could it happen again?" Poor Liara. Lying was obviously not a forte of hers.

_You did this._ Lucy's inner conscience nagged. _You're putting her in this situation. Can't you see how uncomfortable she is? What are you trying to achieve?_

The doctor was rattling off some kind of medical jargon about why this had been a one off event, and shouldn't endanger the mission but Shepard was only half-listening. Her heart wasn't in it anymore; she just wanted some alone time with Liara. Why? She couldn't say...not really. Perhaps a part of her wanted to talk herself into a corner; to ramble on until she was forced to admit everything. That way, she could say she had no choice...it would give her an excuse to say what she'd meant to say all along.

'I love you.'

"If it's okay Doc, I'd like a few words with Liara in private before you discharge us."

The words came out almost unintentionally.

"I don't see why not. I'll bring the crew up to speed while you're at it."

There was no going back now.

* * *

"And in other news, eminent banker and financial adviser Barla Von was found dead in his Presidium apartment early this morning. It appears that the Volus, believed to be responsible for the murder of the Asari Consort Sha'ira, took his own life. We go now live to Gormon at the scene of the incident."

"**Politely:** Thank you Sarah. **Informatively:** C-sec officers arrived at 0400 Citadel time this morning to investigate eyewitness reports that Barla was the last client the Consort saw before her death. **Ominously:** However when the door was nor answered, they decrypted the lock to find Barla dead on the floor. **With hints of regret:** A pistol licensed to the banker was found in his hand...later ballistics reports confirmed that it was discharged a few seconds before the estimated time of death. Further investigations revealed a series of hidden files in Barla's database, detailing his obsession with the Consort and his plan to '**With barely concealed disgust:** Spill the sweet ichor of her perfection.' **Impassively:** C-Sec has officially ruled the case a suicide."

"Thank you Gormon. We expect to hear C-Sec's official ruling on the Consort's murder in a press-conference later today. Next up, it's the sport..."

The Shadow Broker thumbed his controller, instantly shutting off the news feed. They'd fallen for it, as they always did. Organics were so woefully predictable.

"Still enjoying these petty victories over feeble organic minds Magistrate?"

The Shadow Broker glanced at the second screen, occupied by a set of four glowing eyes and the silhouette of a hunched, insect-like figure.

"To harvest the organics, we must first understand them." He replied, "Their mental capacity is insignificant, but some of them display certain degrees of...ingenuity."

"That is why the subject must be procured. It is the key to our victory."

"Patience Harbinger," The Shadow Broker smiled "When the time comes, Shepard will come to me. This small...setback is irrelevant to the overall plan."

"Ensure that is true. Without the subject, Sovereign will succeed. You will not allow that to happen Magistrate."

"Our brethren will return." The synthetic replied, "It is inevitable. Neither Shepard nor Sovereign can stop us now."

* * *

Liara clutched the thin medical bedcloth to her chest with trembling hands. She wasn't ready for this; she needed time to compose herself, to gather her thoughts. Conversations with Shepard were always an emotional minefield and with the news of the spectre's relationship still fresh in her mind, it would be almost impossible to make it through without breaking down.

"It's been a rather rough couple of days hasn't it?" Lucy said, breaking the momentary silence and Liara's contemplations. "How are you feeling?"

What answer was there to that? How could she hide the truth from someone as observant and empathic as Lucy? But then how could she tell her that with every second that passed, she died a little more inside? That without the one she longed for, her heart was slowly shrivelling away.

In the end, she settled for as neutral a response as she could manage; although nothing could quite disguise the slight tremor in her voice.

"I-I'm okay." Lying to Lucy was a truly painful experience. "I just feel a bit...shaken."

"After what we've been though...what you've been through, it's perfectly understandable." Shepard gave her a reassuring smile which Liara just caught in her peripheral vision. She was having a very difficult time meeting the spectre's gaze. "Still, it looks like the worst is over now."

_Goddess, Shepard...if only you knew._

Moisture pricked at the corner of her eyes, threatening the makeshift mask she'd erected to try and conceal her sorrow.

_Don't cry._

If she kept looking at the floor, maybe Lucy wouldn't see her unshed tears. Maybe, Goddess willing, she could...

"Oh Liara," Lucy murmured, pushing herself off the bed. She could see the Asari was fighting a losing battle against her pain. She was trying not to show it, but it was plain as day in the way her lips quivered uncontrollably.

Shepard hesitated for the shortest of moments. Ever since she had begun to develop feelings of attraction for the two women, right up until this moment, the correct course of action had been unclear. She'd danced around the truth, trying to forge some kind of middle ground between two diverging paths because she'd honestly thought it would be the least painful for everyone. Well now, she was witnessing firsthand the effects of that horrendous misjudgement. In less than a day, her actions or inactions had reduced both of the women she loved to tears.

In reality, the only person she'd been protecting was herself. It struck her as something of a revelation that she hadn't seen it before. Here she had two beautiful, young, inexperienced women who were both willing to put their hearts on the line for her sake...and she hadn't even had the courtesy to return the favour. Instead she'd flitted between the two of them like some kind of parasite, stealing what love they had to offer and in return promising nothing.

Shepard was disgusted with herself.

So how could she make things right?

_You can start by dropping this ridiculous charade and telling Liara the truth._

She thought of Tali...and how she might react. Her Quarian lover already knew everything: she had at least managed to be honest with her. Would it change anything if Liara knew as well? Would it hurt Liara more if she knew the truth but it turned out a relationship was impossible?

Lucy cupped Liara's cheek and gently urged her chin upwards; ready to stop if she showed any signs of resistance. The Asari complied hesitantly, allowing Shepard to silently gaze at her tear-streaked face. The spectre could feel the bone-deep tremors that ran through the scientist's body...could see fresh pools of moisture glinting on the surface of her azure eyes.

She realised then that nothing she could do would possibly hurt Liara more than what she was doing now.

"Come here darling," Lucy whispered, surprised to hear her own voice choked with emotion, "It's going to be okay."

Shepard let her arms encircle the woman she loved...the woman she'd failed, and drew her into a tight embrace. She could feel her own tears welling up, and although she could have forced them back with military discipline, she chose to let them fall. Liara deserved to see just how much she meant to her. How she captivated Shepard's heart in a way only one other person could ever hope to match.

"It's going to be okay." She whispered again, sniffling through the tears, "I've got you now."


	21. Chapter 21: Love

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 21 – Love**

It was there...Liara had long thought it extinguished but there it was, in her, now.

The tiniest spark of hope.

"Sh-Shepard?" she hesitated, surprised to see such an honest display of emotion on the normally composed woman's features. "Shepard...you're crying."

_Stupid! Stating the obvious again...don't you think she knows that already?_

A nervous smile graced the spectre's lips, quickly followed by a slight chuckle. It was odd to see someone laugh while tears streaked down their face.

"Yes-yes, I guess I am." Lucy said, her voice choked as she forced herself to breath in and out steadily, "Ironic isn't it; the unb-b-b-reakable s-spectre having a breakdown."

_Why must humans use humour at such inappropriate times?_

"I do not understand. What is upsetting you?" Liara tightened her embrace, remembering the only other time she'd seen Shepard cry; after Tali had been injured on Therum. It had been such a surprise, that a woman so careful with expressing her emotions would trust an Asari she'd just met enough to show them.

Lucy sucked in a breath, held it for several seconds, then released it in one long 'whoosh'. Warm air tickled exposed skin; Liara shuddered imperceptibly.

"Did you ever think about Verdus?" Shepard asked, trying not to sound like a woman charging headfirst off a cliff, "Did you ever wonder why I kissed you?"

The spark faltered; reduced to embers by that simple question.

_She feels guilty. She feels guilty that she kissed me when she is in love with Tali. Oh Goddess, it all makes sense now._

"That wasn't...I didn't think that you...I mean..."

Lucy withdrew from the young Asari just enough to place one silencing finger across her lips.

"Please, don't jump to conclusions. It isn't what you think."

_How could she know what I think? Perhaps the dream joining...no, it must be another one of these human expressions._

The feeling of Lucy's skin on hers was a great distraction to her thought process. A torturously intimate distraction. The dull ache of longing filled her chest, threatening to sweep away the tiny spark that still clung tenaciously to life. Why did the universe insist on tormenting her?

"My guess is that, when you look back on that brief moment in the jungle, you tell yourself that it was nothing more than the actions of a woman who knew she was possibly going to her death." Shepard sighed, withdrawing her finger and hanging her head in...shame, defeat? "I thought that too...at the time. It wasn't until I'd lived through that encounter and was helping you back to the Mako that I realised how wrong I'd been."

She shook her head sadly.

"It was my first mistake; the first of many more to come. It marked the point where I really started to fuck thing up."

Liara's eyes widened in surprise. It was the first time she'd ever heard Lucy use what she understood to be a human curse word. It was evident that the spectre felt very strongly about what had happened. What that was exactly, Liara didn't dare to consider.

But that spark was slowly rekindling itself.

"I've betrayed your trust." Lucy continued, her lip twitching in a self-deprecating sneer, "They say that the lie of omission is just as bad as the lie of falsification. If that's true than I've been lying to you ever since you came aboard in the worst possible way."

The spark was growing, it's heat and light carving small chunks from the surrounding blackness.

"What, Lucy?" Liara drew on her blossoming hope for courage, taking Shepard's hands in her own as tightly as she dared "What haven't you told me?"

The spectre was trembling.

_Goddess, she's so scared._

Liara stared into Shepard's eyes and what she saw shocked her more than anything else she'd heard or seen since she woke up.

In the eyes of the woman she loved more than anything; an unbreakable, infallible paragon whose beauty surpassed the Thessian sunset, she saw...herself. She saw someone who was hurting deeply inside; who longed to reveal their desires but was held back by fear...fear of rejection but even moreso than that, fear of acceptance.

The spark was now a bright, shining flame.

"I haven't told you the truth." Lucy whispered, holding Liara's gaze with watery eyes, "The truth that I...t-that I..."

"Yes?"

"That I love you."

There it was.

Plain and simple.

All Liara could do was stare.

"L..." Words were impossible. "Lu..?"

She could see Shepard studying her face, waiting for a sign. Her expressions was so vulnerable, Liara didn't dare breath for fear it might be misinterpreted.

_Oh Lucy! Oh my wonderful darling Lucy!_

_ You finally found me..._

For the first time since her mother disappeared without so much as a goodbye, Liara felt truly...happy. Not something transient, something impermanent brought on by a surprise archaeological find...something deep, that stretched to her very soul; utter contentment.

Before she knew what was happening, Liara had taken Lucy's face in her hands, and was kissing her with every ounce of passion she could muster. She felt completely out of control, knowing only that this was the purest, most accurate way to express the love she felt. It was inexperienced...almost painful, but the Asari made up for it with sheer desire; crushing their lips together with a desperate intensity.

Liara continued until her veins screamed for oxygen, and only then did she finally let go of herself completely. Something seemed to crack inside of her, and suddenly her body was shaking uncontrollably as she sobbed into Lucy's tender embrace. She clung to the spectre like a lifeline as every ounce of pain and grief and loneliness flushed itself from her system; until the emotions that had ruled her life so recently were nothing but receding memories.

"I'm sorry." Shepard whispered, cradling the emotionally overwrought Asari to her heart "I'm so, so sorry for what I've put you through."

"Is this really happening?" Liara croaked "Please, tell me this is real. If I wake up now, I..."

"Shhhh," Lucy hushed in her ear, allowing herself the pleasure of brushing her lips across the fluked blue skin as she spoke, "This is as real as it gets, darling."

"B-But what about Tali?"

Lucy loosened her grip just a fraction.

"I don't know," She admitted, "I've thought about it a lot, especially while you were...away."

Shepard sighed.

"Please, believe me when I say that I love you both equally. What I want more than anything is for both of you to be happy." Lucy paused, clearly organizing her thoughts, "I tried to take the middle road, and all it did was hurt everyone. And now I've seen what happens when one thinks I've chosen the other. Everything I've done since the beginning has made things worse."

"I'm not saying it's perfect by any means, b-but if you and she were willing...to try something...different." She closed her eyes. Putting Liara in this situation was callous, but she deserved to know the whole truth. "I want you to understand that I'm not doing this for me; it's about doing what's best for you...and for her. But I swear, you have my word that I will love you no less than if it were just me and you. Tali may be my soul Liara, but you are my heart. I'd sooner die than abandon you."

Taking the beautiful Asari's hands again, Lucy forced herself to look her square in the eye.

"I love you Liara. It may be hard to believe that I can love two people with all that I am, but I promise you, I'll do it...for you. Please, tell me you're willing to give it a shot."

The young maiden was dumbfounded. Shepard was willing to risk her own happiness on her behalf? She had something beautiful with Tali; the only reason to try for more was if she truly loved Liara as much as Liara loved her.

Lucy was her soulmate. In her mind, there was no choice to make.

"I know what it is like to see the woman you love with someone else." Liara whispered. She was nervous as hell, but it no longer ruled her actions as it had before, "It is an...experience I would not wish on anyone...least of all someone who I see now could have been me, given different circumstances."

The young Asari maiden could feel tears in her eyes again. She guessed this would be a regular occurrence until her brain fully grasped the fact that her and Lucy were...together, at last.

"If s-she loves you half as much as I do, then I know that she would be lost without you, just as I was." Liara squeezed the spectre's hands to her chest, willing the love in her heart to flow into them and fill Lucy to the brim. "How could I deny your request Shepard? How could I deny you when you have given me so much? You trusted me despite my mother's affiliation with Saren. You stood up for me when others were not so quick to accept it. You gave me a home, a family of sorts...and now, you have given me your love. This is my chance to reciprocate by doing something for you."

Neither one moved for a moment, both silently acknowledging the importance of the understanding they had just come to. Then, slowly, one of Shepard's hands found its way from the Asari's grip and onto the back of her neck. Joyous thrills of anticipation raced down Liara's spine as she realised she was about to experience her second kiss. This was what she had fantasised about on all those lonely evenings...Lucy's hands lovingly guiding her through the intimate act; taking the lead until she was comfortable enough to respond.

The spectre's lips brushed her mouth, pausing only to whisper another "I love you." before they united with hers, and the world was lost in a haze of glorious sensation.

The spark which had once been extinguished now shone brighter than any star.


	22. Chapter 22: A New Beginning

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 22 – A New Beginning**

Lucy left the Medbay feeling truly optimistic for the first time since the whole sorry affair with Saren and the Reapers began. Somehow, in this moment of unbridled happiness, every insurmountable obstacle in their path seemed to recede into the background. All was right between her and Liara, and for now, she could almost believe that all was right with the galaxy too.

Her mood was only somewhat dampened by the prospect of the conversation she was going to have with Tali. They'd made steps in the right direction, and now with the certainty that Liara was willing to at least attempt a more unconventional solution to their dilemma, things were looking up. That knowledge didn't stop the small niggling doubts at the back of her mind however. It had taken such strength from all of them to make it this far; she was just waiting for it to all come crashing down.

Some shore leave was in order. She had yet to read the official report, but there were most probably some repairs to the VI systems scheduled in the wake of the AI incursion. They could also use the opportunity to upgrade their computer systems to prevent anything like it from happening again.

_I just wish I could remember what happened to me._

Without the recollections of her dream, it would be an almost impossible task to track down the source; they didn't have the time or resources to spare. Even spending a few days on the Citadel would set them back more than Lucy liked. She deemed it necessary though. If the rest of the crew was half as wearied by the past few days events as she was, they were in no fit state to go up against the Geth or anything else.

_Besides,_ Lucy thought, smiling _Some time away from the ship is just what me, Tali and Liara need. I know a few wonderfully romantic restaurants in the upper Wards. I'd better check the extranet to make sure they do Quarian food._

A small, wistful smile quirked the corner of her mouth. Why did all this have to come in the middle of a galactic crisis? She could happily spend weeks on the Citadel with her two favourite women. As it was, they were confined to whatever time they could snatch in-between missions. Perhaps, when all this was over...

First things first. She'd go and see Tali as soon as she was up to speed on the what the hell was going on.

* * *

"So, in a nutshell gentleman, we have no idea?"

Joker and Pressley, the acting CO during the attack, glanced at each other.

"Yeah, that's about it." Joker said, "I've got my own theories, but..."

"...they're probably best kept private." Pressley finished.

The impromptu meeting in the cockpit had been spectacular in its lack of detail. There wasn't even conclusive evidence that it had been the work of an AI at all, although Joker swore that he'd seen a face on one of the monitors in his peripheral vision. Pressley was sceptical that it had been anything other than a software failure, but all of them agreed that it was worth further investigation once they were docked. If it had just been a buggy line of code, fixing it was a priority matter. Technical difficulties could be just as dangerous to a starship as an enemy armada.

"I want an immediate update if you discover anything further. Oh, and Joker, this applies especially to you: don't go spreading around the rumour that an AI got onboard."

"But Commander, I.."

"One lick of gossip, and I'm confiscating your crutches until further notice."

Not waiting to hear whatever smart-assed reply her pilot had lined up, Lucy headed for the lift to engineering. She was beginning to get an uncomfortable fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

Engineering was somewhat more crowded than normal, with many of the crew pulling extra shifts to make sure everything was functioning normally again. Lucy hung back in the door for a second, until she spotted the familiar purple of Tali's headdress hunched over a console. Sucking in a deep breath, steeling her jittery nerves, she navigated her way through the bustle.

"Tali, you got a minute?"

"Oh...Shepard." The young engineer flicked off her omni tool. Lucy could hear the smile in her voice, "Er...should I call you Shepard when we're on duty?"

"Lucy's fine." The spectre replied, "Not that you're on duty anyway; your shift ended five minutes ago, and I seem to remember inviting a beautiful, charming Quarian to spend the evening in my quarters."

"Well, I have it on good authority that that Quarian would like nothing more in the whole-wide galaxy."

Laughing, Lucy took Tali's hand and ushered her towards the door. A few people glanced their way, but it seemed that the news of their relationship had reached everybody by now; no one looked at all surprised. Envious maybe, but not surprised.

"Are you okay Lucy?" Tali asked as they boarded the lift, "You seem...distracted?"

In truth, Shepard was desperately trying to think of how she could explain to Tali what had happened without sounding like a total bitch. She really wished that there'd been a chance to talk to her before the she'd spoken with Liara; but the whole thing had been so unexpected, so spur of the moment. Lucy still felt that telling the Asari the truth immediately had been the right thing to do, but that wasn't going to make this conversation any easier.

"I guess I am a bit." Lucy murmured.

Before Tali could reply, the lift stopped. Taking the Quarian's hand, Lucy placed a brief kiss on her knuckles as the doors opened.

"Jeez, get a room you two." Ashley chuckled as she boarded the lift to head down. As long as her and the commander were off duty, she never could resist the urge to tease her.

Smirking at the chance to show up the cocky marine, Lucy looked her dead in the eye.

"You know, I think we will." Turning to Tali, she added, "It's been a rather long day, and I'm feeling particularly _frustrated._"

It was hard to tell which of the two women blushed more. Satisfied that she was still the top-dog, Lucy slipped her arm around her partner's waist, and swept them into her cabin.

"Was that really necessary Lucy? Poor Ashley will be traumatized."

"Just keeping the rabble in their place." Shepard grinned.

"I do not think Chief Williams constitutes a rabble."

"You haven't seen her drunk."

Tali frowned.

"I have heard several of the engineers use that term, 'drunk'. What does it mean?"

Lucy was nonplussed for a second. She sometimes forgot how isolated Tali had been during her childhood. Growing up of the flotilla, where there was almost certainly no alcohol of any kind, it wasn't really surprising that she lacked knowledge in some areas.

"Well, with shore-leave coming up, I'm sure you'll have plenty of chance to, uh...observe the experience first-hand."

"Are you planning on getting 'drunk' then?" Tali seemed worried. It warmed Lucy's heart, not so much for the image of her drunkenly hitting on the Quarian, but for the implication that they would be spending their few free days together; which, of course, was exactly what the spectre wanted.

But would Tali change her mind once Lucy told her who she was hoping may join them?

"No, I've never been one for that kind of thing really. I prefer to maintain at least a basic control over my bodily functions." Her expression sobering slightly, she continued, "Listen, there's, um, there's something I have to tell you."

"I already know Lucy."

"I tol...wait, what?!"

Tali stared sheepishly at her feet.

"I-I already know, what you said to Liara. Dr. Chakwas told me."

"I-but..." Lucy floundered, "She wasn't even there, how could she..."

"She didn't know for a fact, but I worked it out from what she was saying. I bumped into her as she left the Medbay, and she, um, mentioned you were in there. I was worried for you Lucy; I asked her about what had happened, but she was vague...she said something about you helping Liara."

"Oh hell," Shepard whispered, dropping the young woman's hand and turning to stare out the viewport. "I'm so sorry Tali, I didn't mean for you to find out like this...I wanted to talk to you, but..."

"Wait, there's more." The Quarian was fidgeting with her fingers; something she only did when she was nervous, "I, uh, I was curious, so, um...when Chakwas left, I stuck around."

Lucy glanced at her.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I swear; I was turning to leave when I heard someone crying. There was no one else around, so I-I...oh, Keelah...I listened at the door. I was worried it was you; I wanted to know you were okay, but then I heard you talking, a-and I couldn't stop listening."

"Oh Tali," Shepard whispered "You must hate me. Why didn't you say something immediately?"

"I didn't want to spoil tonight." The young Quarian sniffled slightly, but managed to keep her emotions in check "I don't hate you Lucy. What you said to Liara...you didn't know I was there. You could have told her anything; you could have lied to make things easier, but you didn't. I know you love me, and I know you love her. I trust you to try and do what's best for us."

"You sure?" Lucy asked, remembering the disastrous events of a few nights ago when she'd admitted she loved Liara. At first, Tali had seemed fine; it was only later that Shepard realised how much it hurt her. Despite their subsequent reconciliation Shepard still felt pangs of guilt whenever she thought about it.

"Yes," Lucy reached out and touched Tali's shoulder, relieved when she didn't recoil, "I let my insecurities get the better of me before...but after hearing what you said, I realised that I shouldn't have worried."

Shepard idly stroked the Quarian's arm, breathing a sigh of relief as the weight of apprehension lifted off her shoulders.

"You're a godsend Tali," She murmured, "I don't think I've ever met anyone with such a capacity for understanding...or forgiveness. Anyone else would have given up on me ages ago."

Tali drew her spectre into a hug, sighing at the bliss she never failed to find in her arms.

"You say such nice things." She whispered.

"Mmm, it's easy to say nice things about such a wonderful person." Lucy cooed, nuzzling up against the neckpiece of Tali's suit. "It's late darling, let's get some sleep...I want to be up fresh and early tomorrow so we can start planning our shore-leave together."

It was heart-warmingly domestic, watching Tali powering down her suit and setting the environment to night-mode while she went through her standard evening routine. Lucy wasn't used to sharing her quarters like this, but she found that she didn't miss the privacy one bit. Perhaps there'd always been a Tali-shaped hole in her life. Now that Liara's was filled too, well…she felt more complete than ever before.

Finishing up in the bathroom, Lucy dimmed the lights and slipped between the covers. Tali did the same, albeit not as gracefully. The young woman still wasn't quite used to sleeping in a normal bed.

"You're not uncomfortable are you darling?" Lucy whispered, wrapping an affectionate arm around her Quarian's slender waist, "It must be hard to relax in that suit."

It was hard to read Tali's body language in the dark, but Lucy could almost feel her thinking about the question.

"It can be," She admitted at last, "But it was much worse when I didn't have someone to 'snuggle' up to."

Lucy felt her heart flutter at the way her engineer said the word 'snuggle'. She'd taught it to her after a round of early morning lovemaking, when Tali had asked if there was an accurate human term to describe what they were doing. Remembering the way they'd clung to each other during release brought on an almost giddy excitement. Between Rael's visit, Liara's condition and AI attacks, they'd had barely any time to express their love for each other in a more…physical way. Plus, there was the issue of Tali's suit to consider. They'd already gone through the supply of vaccine boosters on board, much to Chakwas' chagrin, and it wouldn't be possible to get any more until they arrived at the Citadel, several days from now.

_Still,_ Lucy thought to herself, _Where there's a will, there's a way._

She shuffled herself closer to the Quarian, unconsciously mirroring Tali's actions the night they'd first realised their attraction. Almost imperceptibly, Lucy's hand that rested over her lovers flared hips began to trace tiny circles on her abdomen.

"You know," The spectre whispered, "I have a few techniques that may help you get a bit more _comfortable_."

In the deathly quiet, Tali's gulp was quite audible.

"S-Such as?" She whispered. Lucy was delighted to hear the breathless edge to Tali's voice; it meant that she could feel her touch through the suit. That would come in very handy for what she had planned.

"I'm not sure," Shepard murmured, sliding even closer until her body was pressed against the length of Tali's side, "Perhaps something like this?"

Lucy trailed her hand lower, sliding across the smooth fabric until it lightly nestled itself between her young lover's legs. Even through the suit, the intense heat of Tali's sex could be felt as comforting warmth against her skin. It wasn't the same as caressing real flesh, but if her Quarian's reactions were anything to go by, it must be nearly as good.

"Oh…oh Lucy," _God, she sounds so sexy when she's aroused,_ "D-Don't stop!"

"Do you like that darling?" Lucy pressed her lips against Tali's jaw, making a point to kiss on the fabric where her Quarian would be able to feel it.

"Yesssss…" The young woman hissed, her hips twitching against Shepard's softly exploring hand.

Lucy continued to slowly probe Tali's nether regions with just enough pressure to be felt through the layers of material which separated them. She slipped her other arm under her lover's writhing body, cradling the young woman against her chest. As Tali's soft cries washed over her, she felt a fierce surge of protectiveness for her Quarian; for the woman who didn't hold anything back when it came to loving her. Everything about Tali was so open, so unguarded; it was as if Lucy could see straight through the layers of cloth, metal and flesh, right into the tender soul beneath.

Shepard didn't believe in heaven, but she found herself hoping that on the tiniest off-chance there was something waiting for her after death, that it would be this.

"Hold up darling, I have an idea." She whispered, helping Tali into a sitting position. Lucy scooted back until she felt the wall propping her up, then let Tali settle in the space between her legs so that they were both partially upright, with Shepard cuddling her Quarian from behind.

"Much better," Lucy continued, "Now as well as doing this…" She let her fingertips brush Tali's sex with a bit more vigour "…I can do this."

Her other hand alighted on the subtle swell of her lover's bosom; held firmly in place by the various belts across it. Shepard thrilled at how Tali urged herself into the touch, her chest rising to make greater contact with the spectre's gentle fingers. Softly, still unsure about how much pressure would be needed, Lucy began to squeeze the breast in her palm, delighting in the little squeak of pleasure that Tali emitted when she did.

"Mmmm, I love you so much darling." She cooed, placing heartfelt kisses along her engineer's trembling shoulders.

Shepard took it slowly for a while, getting both Tali and herself used to the new sensation of making love through the suit. She could happily spend hours doing so; every gentle moan sent shivers of pure delight tingling down her spine. No matter how much she was enjoying herself however, it was clear that Tali was on the verge of release. Lucy savoured the fact that she and she alone was the one who could give it to her. Every day, people lived and died based on the decisions she made, yet it was now, with the woman she loved on the verge of climax pressed to her heart, that she felt more powerful than she ever had done before. It wasn't the power to command men, or to best a foe in combat…it was the power to show Tali that, right now, she was the most important person in the universe to her.

"Oh, oh L-Lucy!" The young woman's words were only just coherent by now. Her thighs squeezed together, pressing Shepard's hand directly into her centre, "I…I think I…I think I'm g-going to…to…"

"It's okay love." The spectre murmured, squeezing her own legs a bit tighter to envelop her Quarian in a protective cocoon with her body, "Let go, I've got you…"

Lucy felt Tali stiffen. For one rapturous moment, her entire frame was frozen as the orgasm seized control of every muscle in her body. The cry that came with it was one of such utter passion, such raw emotion that for several days Lucy wouldn't be able to remember it without feeling weak in the knees.

As quickly as it came, the climax left and Tali's body collapsed into Shepard's waiting embrace. She hugged the sobbing woman with renewed intensity, whispering nonsense, soothing words into her ear as the aftershocks died away.

"You're amazing Tali." Lucy said, her voice shaky with sudden, overwhelming happiness. It was dizzying, like being drunk…she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Instead, she grabbed the still tearful Quarian and kissed her mouthpiece as if it were a pair of rosy, quivering lips.

Before, she'd seen the suit as an obstacle…something that must be overcome if they were to be together. Now she realised that it had been a part of Tali for so long that it was almost like a second skin. And like any skin, it responded to a lovers touch. They'd proven together that they could adapt…that what was once a problem could be turned into an opportunity; a chance to explore new, uncharted territory.

Lucy smiled, looking at the image of her partial reflection in Tali's visor superimposed over the gorgeous face beneath. Eyes brimming over with love stared back at her.

There was no doubt anymore; as long as they loved each other, nothing would ever break them apart.

And as long as she lived, Lucy would love Tali.


	23. Chapter 23: The Man In Black

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 23 – The Man In Black**

Liara couldn't help but smile. It had been several hours since Lucy had left and not once had the big, ear-splitting grin left her face. It was getting to the point where it was making her jaw ache and yet she still found herself unable to stop. How could she? The unprecedented levels of happiness she felt had to be expressed somehow.

Before, Liara had always considered herself an observer; someone who catalogued what she saw rather than experiencing it. She'd seen people fall in love; seen couples kissing, or simply telling each other with their eyes. It had just been a thing people did…you were born, you grew up, you fell in love, you had children and finally you died. Yet, somehow, it had taken one incredible woman to make her realise that those same desires applied to her as well. Liara was no longer the impartial scientist…she was the experiment.

_No, not experiment,_ _that's too crude a term._ Liara searched her extensive vocabulary, and found herself drawing a blank. She couldn't describe what she felt. _Love_ was the closest applicable term, but even that seemed lacking. Maybe it was true of all couples that they thought their bond was something special, something more than 'ordinary' love.

Liara filed that thought away for later contemplation. Right now, it was taking away too much time from remembering how Lucy had kissed her. It had been a scene straight out of her dreams…the soft lips, the moist warmth of laboured breath, the way Lucy had whispered lovingly in her ear. She sighed deeply; the next one couldn't come soon enough.

Jerking her head up from where it had slouched over her terminal, Liara forced herself to concentrate on what she'd been doing before thoughts of Shepard had pleasantly distracted her. With shore-leave coming up, it seemed like a good time to research some of the more prevalent human customs and social norms. She'd studied such things briefly when she first came aboard, but her lines of enquiry then had been more general; not to mention limited by patchy extranet connectivity. Now that they were approaching the more commonly traversed shipping lanes close to the Citadel that shouldn't be a problem, and with Lucy otherwise…occupied, she had some down-time to spend brushing up on the more important facts.

Liara was well versed in hunting down relevant data on the extranet; afterall it was pretty much her entire job when she wasn't actively on a dig or helping save the galaxy. In no time at all she'd located several guides to human behaviour written by various species; some more complementary than others. Just as if she was researching a new thesis, Liara immediately discarded a few which were either irrelevant to what she wanted to know, or proved false by her own observations on board the Normandy. One account stating that the human female devoured her mate during childbirth was clearly made by someone simply seeking to provoke argument.

After settling on a particular article entitled 'A Further Guide to Homo-Sapiens' as a good place to start, Liara began to skim read, looking for the paragraphs pertaining to social interaction and relationships. She'd been going for less than a minute when something caught her eye. A sub-section labelled 'The Mechanics of Intercourse'. Although the title was somewhat dry, the meaning behind it was obvious. Liara stopped scrolling. A second later, she opened the link in a new tab.

Before the Asari's eyes was a list of pairings. 'Human/Human', 'Human/Turian', 'Human/Batarian'…the list went on for several screens, even containing links such as 'Human/Elcor'. Liara didn't dwell on that thought for too long. Instead, she sought out the entry for 'Human/Asari', finding it about half way down.

Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Liara glanced at the doorway behind her, as if the whole crew of the Normandy was about to parade in. She really wished she could lock the door; but owing to the fact Chakwas may need access to this room at any time for supplies, it couldn't be done. Perhaps this wasn't the best idea...

_Don't be so silly,_ She admonished herself, turning back to the screen, _Everyone's either asleep or busy. No one's going to come in._

Before she lost her nerve, Liara moused over the entry and followed the sub-link for 'Human Female/Asari'. What came up was not what she expected. In the place of a body of text, there was an embedded video player, displaying the title 'Azure Nights: Vol. 3'. Along the top was a message in red 'Warning: NSFW Do not view unless you are beyond the age of consent for your species'.

Liara felt the beginnings of a blush creeping up her neck. She'd expected a clinical description, perhaps with a few diagrams but nothing more explicit than that. She'd certainly never set out to watch an adult movie. Moving the pointer to navigate away from the page, she stopped short of actually clicking the button. A brief, internal conflict between her natural demureness and newfound desire was quickly resolved. A video _would_ be a lot more informative than paragraph upon paragraph of description. She wanted to know what was expected of her after all, so as not to disappoint Lucy when they finally, uh...consummated their relationship (just the thought made her tingle all over).

Liara took a deep breath, and released it slowly. She suddenly felt childish for worrying so much; it was just a video after all. There couldn't be any harm in taking a brief look; just enough to help her understand the concept. With fresh resolve, she adjusted the volume so the sound wouldn't carry beyond her cabin, and pressed play.

A message popped up 'This video is for illustrative purposes only: actual situations may vary. For more personal advice, please visit out forums.' It stuck around for a few seconds, before fading out. Although playback could be stopped at anytime, Liara got the distinct feeling that she was passing a point of no return.

"Just a brief look." She repeated to herself, "30 minutes at the most."

* * *

A small light blinked on his desk. Someone unauthorised had penetrated the perimeter.

Angling his chair away from the window, the Shadow Broker pulled up the feeds from security cameras 1 through 7. Silent videos appeared on the screen depicting, for the most part, empty corridors; all empty except one. Enlarging that image revealed the ghostly forms of armoured figures advancing down the hallway; bold logos of a setting sun emblazoned on their chests.

'Eclipse.' He muttered to himself, stubbing out the remains of a cigar and doing a passable imitation of a frown. There was no way such a group of thugs could have located, let alone gained access to, his office. That meant this was either a case of organic incompetence (it would be far from the first time), or more seriously; an informant within his ranks. The prospect of having to waste resources witch-hunting at such a critical juncture was most displeasing.

It was of little consequence however. He had planned to relocate within the next few days anyway; events were simply expediting that transition. The 20 or so hired guns posed no threat to his personal safety, but there were between him and the only untraceable means of exit. Blowing out the window or cutting his way through a wall would be immediately picked up by the Citadel computer systems.

It looked like he was going to have to deal with them himself. A small smile touched his jaw; the idea was not without appeal. It had been too long since he'd truly had a chance to let loose. Besides; there was no telling when he may need the image or memories of an Eclipse mercenary. The party currently slogging through his security systems would provide more than enough genetic material.

"Computer; disengage encryption algorithms 5 through 7, and patch me through to pedestal C."

* * *

"Man, he must be shitting himself right now," piped up Kulthodix, mandibles flaring at the thought of the kill ahead "Poor bastard doesn't stand a chance; not a chance."

"Shut your beak or whatever the fuck you guys have." came the terse reply, snapped by an irritable Salarian named Polan who was trying to hack the door, "Intel classed him as a Tier 1 threat, which means we don't fuck around and we don't get cocky."

"Pffft, yeah right! Shepard herself couldn't take us on; what's one weedy info trader gonna do? Hack us to pieces with a sharpened data pad? Stab us with his propelling pencil?"

"I said _shut up_ idiot! This place could have mechs and all sorts. Perhaps if you keep your finger on the trigger and out of your ass we'll all go home in one piece."

The arguing pair were interrupted by the sudden sound of charging machinery on their right. A dais, inset into the wall, flickered to life displaying an amorphous humanoid figure. The image was nothing more than a silhouette of light; indistinguishable as any particular gender or species but the way it held itself spoke of someone in a position of authority, used to talking down at people.

"What the fuck did you do Polan?"

Kulthodix levelled his rifle and fired a quick burst at the hologram. The rounds passed harmlessly through, leaving small eddies of distorted light in their wake and burn marks in the wall behind. The ghostly figure rippled for a moment but was otherwise unaffected.

"That's no way to treat your host gentlemen." The cocky Turian physically recoiled at the sudden grating tones emanating from the pedestal, tightening his grip on his weapon "Anyone would think you were here to kill me."

"Eclipse has a contract for your worthless hide." Interjected an Asari from the back of the group, "Funny story; seems a lot of important people don't like you profiting from their corporate secrets."

"Your bravado is impressive if, ultimately, futile. Do you think you're the first group that's been hired to topple me? I have more enemies than you have brain cells, and they all vie for my blood. Ironic, really, that I have none to offer them."

"You think a fancy lightshow and all this smart-mouthed shit are gonna scare us?" Kulthodix snapped, "We're Eclipse! I eat cowards like you for breakfast."

"Ever the hothead Kulthodix. You use brashness and showmanship to compensate for the guilt you feel about abandoning your poverty-stricken family. You told yourself that becoming a mercenary was the best way to provide for your ailing mother, and yet you are unable to bring yourself to contact her. Is it her disappointment you fear, or her anger? Do you know how much it hurts her, not knowing where you are? If you're safe? I could give you a video of her crying herself to sleep. Of course she doesn't let it show, just like she doesn't let on how badly the illness has taken hold. She has to keep up an appearance of strength you see, for your sister. How old is she now…13? It would be a shame for anything to happen to her. It would break your mother's heart for sure. Then again I hear it's a regular occurrence in the slums. It's not like the police would care; just one less thieving vermin for them to worry about..."

"Shut up! You shut your fucking mouth right now asshole! Don't you talk shit about my sister, I'm gonna rip your fucking head off! Come out here you fucking coward! I'll take you down!" The Turian was screaming, practically foaming at the mouth with fury. "You stay away from them, you hear me!?"

"Guys relax." Polan's voice was shaky, but he stood his ground, "It's just mind games. He's trying to psyche you. Don't let him get under your skin."

"You'd do well to listen to this one." The Shadow Broker's avatar turned its featureless face to the Salarian "I'm postulating that he's the brains of this so called operation."

Turning back to the group, he continued "Let's cut to the chase, shall we. Despite your brutish, inelegant equipment, you will eventually break through my security codes. C-Sec will hardly come running to the aid of a known outlaw, and I am unable to escape through any exit except the one you are occupying. I would tell you to prepare yourselves, but nothing you can do now will make any difference. Instead, know that your deaths will serve a purpose greater than anything you could accomplish in life."

With his last words still echoing in the hallway, the hologram flashed briefly before dissolving away into nothing. No one spoke for several seconds except for a muttered "Well…shit."

Everyone turned to Polan. The Salarain was looking distinctly pale, and he was clutching his sidearm nearly as venomously as Kulthodix.

"Better get ready guys." He muttered, "I think we've got a fight on our hands."

* * *

Liara had always been somewhat poor at keeping track of time. It probably came with the job; she could lose hours on a dig site at the best of times and had been known to go for days without sleep when in the midst of a particularly exciting spate of discoveries. Of course, the fact she usually worked alone meant that there was often no one to remind her of trivialities such as eating and resting. It was a counterproductive habit really and one which her mother and later the professors at university had constantly tried to talk out of her. After all, a tired mind produced shoddy work and overlooked subtleties that a refreshed intellect would spot.

Liara was reminded of this failing when, several videos later, she was able to tear her eyes away long enough to notice that 4 hours had passed since first coming to the site. What had started out as simple research had become something...she wasn't really sure what it was. The videos were definitely informative, but there was no way she could pretend that watching them was a purely educational matter. Liara had lost her clinical detachment after about 10 minutes, around about the time the actresses on-screen began removing their clothes.

It had been almost dream-like, especially the 2nd video. Perhaps it was because in that one the human woman had had blonde hair and a face not dissimilar to Shepard's. The actresses had all been gorgeous, but that one had captured Liara's attention the most. After a few minutes, she'd forgotten that she was watching a porno. Instead, it was her and Lucy in the bed; naked bodies pressed together with a passionate fervour.

In truth though, Liara had even more questions than before. It was apparent that, when it came to intimacy, there was no 'right' or 'wrong' method. Perhaps if she was able to talk to someone with more experience...her first thought was Lucy, but she was unsure whether it would be appropriate. Humans were so alike to Asari in some ways, and yet so alien in others. Her people's traditions implied that Shepard should be the one to educate her, but what if human traditions were different? Perhaps Lucy would expect her to come prepared with prior knowledge.

Liara felt completely lost, and she hated it. As a scientist, she was used to coming across things she could not understand; indeed, it was what made her job fascinating. This was different though; she had no basis from which to work from, no firm axioms to build a logical framework upon. Indeed, logic itself seemed to play little part in the whole thing. She had to rely on her emotions and, quite frankly, she wasn't sure how.

An idea formed in her head. She hadn't made many friends since coming aboard, but one of the few she did have was Dr. Chakwas. The medical officer had always been open with her, and they'd discussed Shepard in the past. Perhaps she would be able to help with some of her concerns; or at least say whether or not it was acceptable to discuss them with Lucy.

Liara paused the video she was currently on. She hadn't noticed it so much before, but watching people making love had had a surprising effect on her own body. Some responses she was familiar with; elevated heart rate and quick, shallow breathing; signs of excitement. Others were entirely new and she recognized them from some of her earlier readings as signs of arousal. She added the hardening of certain areas and accumulation of moisture in others to her rapidly expanding mental list of things to enquire about further. That was assuming she could even raise the subject without dying of embarrassment.

Liara closed the extranet browser, and was pondering what to do next when a voice sounded from the stack of crates behind her.

"Awww, it was just getting to my favourite bit."

* * *

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Polan knew he'd been grossly understating the term 'fight'. The doors to the right of his squad opened and he caught the quickest glimpse of silver before 3 of his team were cut down where they stood. The Asari who'd taunted their target earlier and the Salarians next to her now lay on the floor in at least two pieces each, orange and blue bloods mixing together in a sickly purple hue.

"Engage hostile!" He heard himself screaming, more as a desperate plea than any coherent order. In the time it took him to yell, Kulthodix was immolated in some kind of plasma-fire; both bony plates and soft skin melting away from his carbonised skeleton.

Killing four of the mercenaries had slowed down the Shadow Broker enough for the survivors to get a good look at their attacker. It was odd that even as the rest of his mind was filled with the urge to flee or fight, Polan felt strangely privileged to know that he was one of the few people to see the man in person. Not that it would matter unless he lived to tell about it, and the chances of that were looking increasingly small.

The synthetic seemed to completely ignore the gunfire that was now being sprayed at him from every direction, calmly sidestepping the guard of a terrified Turain and severing his head from his shoulders with a sword-like weapon protruding from the back of his right wrist. The blade shone brightly along its edge; more plasma, this time focused into a deadly cutting implement.

Arguably the most unnerving thing was the Shadow Broker's complete precision. Being a Salarian, Polan's mind worked quicker than most other species, and it was that which allowed him to notice these subtleties. There was no error in the way he moved; none of the organic expression, not even the slightest deviation from the most efficient way to act. He didn't stop at beheading the hapless Turian; he kept right on going, spinning on the spot and driving his blade directly through the gut of an Asari who got too close. Even as he did, the same green flames which had melted Kulthodix torched another merc...he wasn't even looking where he was aiming!

Fresh screams filled the air as the Shadow Broker sliced upwards through the impaled Asari's body. It was like a knife through butter; organs and bone providing no resistance to the super heated plasma-cutter. Her screams were suddenly silenced; voice box split neatly in two. The eviscerated corpse slumped to the floor, still sizzling slightly as the blood along the wound boiled away.

"Fall back dammit!" Polan had found control of his voice, but he knew it was already too late. In less than 30 seconds half his squad lay dead and there was not a scratch on their attacker to show for it. The assault rifles favoured by Eclipse were highly illegal; mainly down to the experimental, black-market mods that boosted their power well above conventional levels. Even that didn't seem to be enough however. Either the Shadow Broker possessed personal shielding of an unprecedented level, or his shell was quite simply bullet-proof.

The retreat was disorderly and panicked as the mercenaries fled for their lives. The information dealer turned to the wall, a control panel materialising on its surface. he tapped in a few quick commands and the door at the end of the corridor slammed shut, shearing an arm off the leader of the group.

Grabbing the pistol off of a nearby body, the Shadow Broker went to work on the remaining intruders. He generally favoured a more up-close approach or the use of his in-built ranged capabilities but this way was probably the most effective and was sure to sow a bit of confusion amongst the investigating authorities. It took him less than 5 seconds to deliver 9 lethal headshots, the targeting matrices in his program plotting the exact vectors required for maximum lethality.

The sudden deathly calm was broken only by the ragged breathing of the only surviving mercenary. Polan was huddled in a corner, quite literally covered head-to-toe in the blood of his companions. It was almost difficult to pick him out against the gore-splashed walls.

"Ah, Polan." The Shadow Broker casually discarded the pistol, approaching the stunned Salarian, "I think it's time you and me had a little chat."


	24. Chapter 24: Mrs Blue Skin

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 24 – Mrs. Blue Skin**

The sound of buckling metal echoed down the blood-stained hallway as its sole organic occupant was slammed into a bulkhead with bone-shattering force. Polan counted the lucky-stars now swimming in his vision that the armour he was wearing was stronger than the partition walls of the Citadel.

"You know I don't have to do this." The Shadow Broker was saying, his voice penetrating the Salarians foggy mind with surprising clarity "Perhaps I've been around your kind too long but I feel something akin to pleasure in watching biological specimens suffer. I think I'll run a diagnostic on myself, but not before I'm finished with you."

With minimal effort, Polan was sent flying through the air; the arc of his body almost graceful, until he landed amongst the eviscerated remains of his comrades. He wheezed agonizingly as the breath was knocked out of him for a second time.

"I want a name." The Shadow Broker snarled, kicking aside the charred body of a now-unidentifiable merc. "Who informed you of my location?"

"I don't know!" Polan tried to scream, instead managing a barely audible croak "We were just the hit men. The bosses are the ones who deal with that shit. I just point, shoot and open doors."

"Your lies are transparent and worthless. You have a graybox implanted just beneath your right horn. Only high-ranking members of Eclipse use them; you were the leader of this operation, and no-doubt report directly to Jaroth. There is a 96.5 percent chance that you yourself were the one that met with the informant. Now, give me the name."

Polan had been a mercenary ever since he could lift a gun. He knew how these things worked, and he knew that there was no way the Shadow Broker would let him live, whether he got the information or not. With that realisation came an almost euphoric sense of power. Nothing he could do would change the outcome, so he might as well spite the monster which had slaughtered his team and was trying to brutalize him into submission. There was no way this bastard would get anything out of him.

"Go fuck yourself you metal freak!" he spat with every ounce of venom left in him.

The synthetic eyed his battered form. Covered in cuts and scrapes, and smeared with blood that was not his own, the Salarian was in no position to resist a direct mental intrusion.

"That, would be impossible." he said, as the familiar chime of an extending spike sliced the silence.

* * *

Liara wasn't a clumsy person, at least not by human standards. She'd always lacked the same grace as some of the more elegant members of her species, but her profession demanded a certain amount of hand-eye coordination. There'd been the occasional incident of course, a particularly humiliating episode where she'd dropped a priceless Prothean tablet in front of her entire second-year class at university came to mind, but for the most part she was aware of what she was doing. In this case however, her body acted before her mind in its haste to get up and turn around, muddling the two actions into something that sent a stack of data pads crashing to the floor and left her leaning heavily against the desk to stop herself joining them.

"Whoa, geez, are you okay?" A pair of strong hands took her gently by the shoulders, helping her to a more stable footing, "Sorry, I should have realised I'd startle you."

"Shepard!" Liara wasn't so much surprised as she was aghast. As if tripping over her own feet wasn't bad enough...Lucy had see everything. At least, she'd seen enough to know exactly what Liara had been doing.

Why did things like this always have to happen to her? Perhaps one day she'd spend more than 5 minutes with the spectre without doing something mortifyingly embarrassing.

"I-I was just, erm..."

"Curious?" Lucy finished the sentence, smiling at the abashed Asari. She knew it was probably mean, but she couldn't help but tease Liara bit; the cerulean blue her cheeks went when she blushed was quite simply adorable.

The Asari visibly steadied herself, although she was still looking somewhere near Lucy's feet rather than straight ahead.

"Yes." She admitted sheepishly.

Lucy sat herself down on the camp bed in the corner and motioned for Liara to sit beside her. She did so with only the slightest hesitation, nervously waiting for Shepard's reaction. Would Lucy be pleased or angry? Or worse, would she look down on her for having to research such basic things in the first place?

"I'm sorry to sneak up on you like that." Shepard began, lazily snaking an arm around Liara's shoulders. "I didn't mean to, but when I saw what you were doing and that you hadn't seen me...well, I didn't want to disturb you."

She tightened her hold, encouraging Liara to meet her gaze.

"There's no need to be embarrassed; it's perfectly natural to be curious. Everyone wants to know who - *_ahem_*, what they're getting into." Lucy winced, not only at the slip up but at how patronising she sounded. It was sometimes difficult to remember that Liara had lived for more than 3 times as long as she had. Then again, she was also pretty sure that she had more experience when it came to personal issues, so perhaps it wasn't such a problem. "You know, I had a similar experience when I was about 16 years old. Only, it was my mother, not a partner who walked in on me, and, erm...well I was doing a little more than just watching if you know what I mean."

The look on Liara's face made it clear that she didn't. Quickly moving on before things got even more complicated, Lucy continued.

"Anyway, that was how she found out that I was into girls. Kinda hard to deny it when the video you're watching has an all-Asari cast."

"How did she react?" Liara spoke up, apparently glad that the focus of conversation had drifted away from her curiosity "My, um...research about human culture indicated that 'homosexuality' was not always accepted by everybody."

"It's not as bad as it used to be." Lucy pointed out, "Now that humans are able to go off with any number of different species, the so called 'traditionalists' have more to worry about. I was lucky though I guess, my parents just accepted me for who I was. I think it gave dad a bit of a shock when I brought home my first girlfriend." She chuckled softly, "He never did get those coffee stains out of his shirt."

"You have never mentioned your parents before." Liara said, feeling warmed to the core that Lucy would choose to share information about her family life with her. She had not seen the spectre do the same with any of the other crew members, except for Tali of course. "Do you still speak with them?"

The sorrowful look that greyed Lucy's eyes immediately made her regret bringing it up.

"No. They died on Mindoir when the slavers attacked."

Liara wished she could take back her words. How could she have been so stupid? She had read Shepard's file a dozen times, it stated categorically that she had enlisted with the military after an attack on her home colony. Why hadn't she put two and two together?

"Goddess, I-I'm so sorry Shepard, I forgot completely...I should never have mentioned it, I..."

"Hey, it's okay Liara." Lucy twisted round to put her other arm around the fretful Asari, hugging her tightly, "It's better they died on their home soil than got hauled off to be worked to death as slaves. It still hurts sometimes, but the past is the past; I've put it behind me."

Liara nodded, feeling slightly less wretched now that her partner was holding her so tenderly. It seemed she still had much to learn about relationships. All she could do was be thankful that she had found a woman who was so understanding and patient.

"Lucy?" She ventured tentatively, wanting to convey her gratitude but not sure if it was appropriate, "Can I...can I kiss you?"

To her delight, one of Shepard's dazzling smiles lit up the room.

"I think you can assume the answer to that will always be 'yes'."

Liara could feel the butterflies tickling the base of her stomach; a heady mix of nervousness and anticipation. The only other kiss she'd ever initiated had been one of desperate need and longing; it had been truly intense, almost painfully so. This time she was determined to do it right, in a way that could convey her love when her words so often failed.

She let her mind wander back to the daydreams she'd had before her coma; how she'd fantasised for hours on end about how this moment would go. The images in her head guided her as Liara slid her hands up Shepard's back, fingers tangling in the golden mane that fell just past her ears. Liara loved Lucy's hair; it's texture was so alien, so fascinating, so wonderfully silky soft. She wanted to bury her face in it and inhale Shepard's subtle fragrance.

Hesitantly, still a bit unsure but determined not to let nerves overcome her, Liara raised her head to meet Lucy's. The spectre was a bit taller, at least when they were sitting like this, and Liara found that her face fit snugly into the hollow of Shepard's neck. She could see the taut muscle just beneath the skin, tendons flexing subtly as Lucy breathed in and out. She couldn't have resisted even if she'd wanted to. Liara pressed her lips softly to the pulse point, feeling it flutter beneath her as Shepard's heart rate increased. It was intoxicating, knowing that at this moment, that strong heart was beating for her.

She wasn't sure if she was doing it right, but for once, she didn't really care. All that mattered was this connection; the sweet warmth of Lucy's body against her mouth. She kissed the offered neck again, letting her lips trail over the exposed flesh; worshiping it softly.

"I love you Lucy." She whispered, feeling the sudden need to explain how she felt; how much the spectre affected her, "Goddess, I-I love you so much that it scares me. When we're together...like this...I can't describe it, i-it's overwhelming."

"I know darling, it's okay. Love is terrifying, especially for the first time. It's a big risk, putting your heart in someone else's hands; just please believe that I'd never, ever intentionally hurt you."

Lucy tilted her head, capturing the next kiss aimed at her neck with her mouth instead. Liara's eyes widened, but she didn't stop, instead holding Shepard's head against hers with a gentle intensity. Lucy was delighted to feel an inquisitive tongue probing the tips of her teeth. She welcomed it in, realising the importance of letting the Asari explore at her own pace and pleased that Liara felt she could initiate their intimate moments.

At long last, the kiss came to an end, leaving both women panting for breath and quite giddy with excitement.

"Goddess," Liara murmured, "Is it always that good?"

"Only gets better from here," Shepard grinned, feeling inordinately pleased with herself, "Listen...I was meaning to say before we got so pleasantly sidetracked. About your, uh, research. You know you can ask me anything. I don't want you to ever think that I have some silly expectation of you, or don't have time to discuss anything that you're worried about. Relationships are difficult, and I'm no expert, but I realise that we're in a very unique situation. I'll always help you as best I can; just like I know you'd do for me."

Lucy chuckled slightly.

"Also, porn isn't exactly the best way to educate yourself. Not that I have anything against it at all, it just aint that realistic."

Liara was blushing again, but her shy smile indicated that she didn't mind the gentle teasing.

"It did seem somewhat exaggerated," She admitted, trying hard to keep inappropriate images of naked flesh and writhing bodies out of her mind, "I felt that the likelihood of two relative strangers engaging in such...intimacy was minimal at best."

Lucy smiled, stopping to place a delicate kiss on Liara's cheek.

"I guess it's a good thing we're not strangers then."

Liara just blushed harder.


	25. Chapter 25: Now Docking: C, H and L

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 25 – Now Docking: Confusion, Hope and Love**

"Citadel control this is the SSV Normandy on approach, requesting a berth. ETA, 30 minutes standard time."

"...permission granted Normandy, proceed to cradle 5 in hanger T8."

"Uh, you got anything a bit closer to the Presidium; we have a council spectre aboard."

"One second Normandy, verifying...roger that, new coordinates are cradle 2 in hanger C3, Citadel control out."

Joker killed the channel, grinning smugly.

"Seems like having a spectre onboard really clears the way for you huh. Hey commander, you mind if I name drop you in a few bars, I'm sure the chicks will just love..."

Shepard couldn't actually hit Joker for fear of crushing his brittle bones, but the menacing glower she threw in his direction had the same effect.

"Fine, fine," Joker grumbled, "Guess I'll just have to play the sympathy card instead."

"Well, it's nice to know you'll be enjoying your shore-leave. Do try not to get too pissed; the last thing I need is for you to pick a fight and break your arms." Shepard knew she was fighting a losing battle, but as the commanding officer she had to at least make a token effort to reign her crew in. Fortunately, that obligation didn't extend to herself.

"Yes mum."

"Good, now if everything's set, I think I'm going to make sure I'm all packed"

* * *

Lucy took the stroll back to her quarters at a leisurely pace, happily listening to the excited conversations of the crew. It helped re-affirm her belief that taking some time off, even if it was only for a week, was the right thing to do. The mission had everyone on edge, and without some down-time, people would get sloppy or confrontational. Such mistakes could be fatal.

As she headed for her door, she spotted Ashley, Garrus and Wrex all sat around a table in the mess-hall. Lucy always had to stifle a laugh when she saw Wrex sitting in one of the dinky seats; it was a miracle they hadn't broken yet.

"Commander," Ashley called, beckoning to an empty chair, "Me and the guys were just discussing our plans for shore-leave. Care to take a pew?"

Sliding into the empty space, Lucy accepted the cup of water offered to her, pondering her reply. She had known a situation like this would arise at some point, although she'd been hoping to have a few more days to think her answer through.. It wasn't that she was embarrassed, or uncomfortable with telling the truth (although she knew the Chief would tease her mercilessly), but she didn't really want to go spreading it around either. Not until the three of them had found their feet. It was still possible that things wouldn't work out. After all, this mini-vacation would be the first real time they were all together. Lucy had to admit, she was more than a little nervous.

Still, there was no way she could keep it a secret forever. She wouldn't volunteer the information just yet however. If she was lucky, the conversation would move on soon enough.

"Me, Tali and Liara are renting an apartment on Kithoi ward, near the Presidium. I know a few good restaurants and bars in the area."

As expected, Ashley immediately latched onto the implications. No luck for her this time it seemed.

"Really? I thought it would just be you and Tali. Won't having someone else along spoil the mood a bit? Besides, it's not really fair on Liara; you'll be keeping her up all night."

Garrus made a noise somewhat similar to a strangled bird as he tried to suppress a laugh. Shepard could feel an unwelcome redness creeping into her cheeks but she refused to be baited so easily.

"I've talked it through with them, and they're happy with the arrangement. And since it worries you so much chief, you can be rest assured that I won't lack for creature comforts."

"I'm sure you won't." Ashley had a look on her face disturbingly similar to a jackal circling a dying animal; just waiting for it to finally give in, "What is it they say in the vids?" She spread her hand in the air with a grandiose gesture, "Come to Kithoi, the most romantic holiday destination this side of the Cerulean Sea."

"Look, is there anything wrong, with a couple spending time with other people?" The spectre already knew she had lost the battle; it was now more a question of saving face as best she could.

"You're skirting around the truth Shepard," Wrex rumbled, leaning forward in his seat, "You've got that look in your eyes, like a Salarian."

Lucy wasn't sure whether to be indignant or impressed. For someone from such a supposedly thuggish race, Wrex was not only intelligent but also dangerously perceptive. Still, she did owe him for telling her about the small cache of Quarian vaccines they'd had onboard.

"Look, I can tell you're not going to give up, so I'll tell you what's going on, not that it's really any of your buisness. Just promise me you won't go gossiping as soon as I'm gone."

The three of them waited in silence, all eyes fixed expectantly on her.

"You remember when me and Tali got together, after that mission on Verdus? I seem to remember you had a few words to say on the subject Wrex."

The Krogan just chuckled to himself.

"Right...anyway, to cut a long and incredibly complicated story short, I also realised that I had...feelings for someone else as well. Someone blue if you must know. Of course things got very complicated; Liara was ill, and Tali's father shows up. It made me think long and hard about what I was doing. It made me realise that something had to change, In the end, we agreed to try and find a, uh...optimal solution, and, well, here we are."

For a few seconds, you could have heard a fly cough on the other side of the room.

"Damn Shepard; both of them!" Garrus couldn't have looked much more shocked if Lucy had downed a case of Turian ale, "I don't believe this; leave some for the rest of us won't you."

"You sly bitch," Ashley laughed, cuffing her across the shoulders "Uh, Ma'am."

"She's got a quad, I'll give her that." Wrex rumbled, "Shoulda chosen a Krogan though; Quarians and Asari are so squishy."

"Are you jealous Wrex?" Lucy said, poking him in the chest.

"Me? Nah. You're tough as hell Shepard, but I need a woman with a bit more meat on her bones."

"I'll take that as a compliment, although I'm not so sure about the quad." Lucy replied, feeling a faint stirring of pride in her chest. In truth, she hadn't expected anyone to protest; not that it would have changed anything if they had, but she considered her team close friends as well and colleagues, and it was nice to have their support.

"I still can't believe you took away the only two women on the ship compatible with Turians." Garrus sulked, "I guess it's true what you humans say; 'All the good ones are taken.'"

"Hello, I'm sitting right here." Ashley interjected, rolling her eyes before turning back to Lucy, "I think you guys will make a great couple, uh, trio. Do remind me to get a room a way away from your apartment however. Two of you would be bad enough, but all three? I'd be climbing the walls after the first sleepless night."

Lucy laughed, but her face sobered slightly.

"Listen, remember what I said about not spreading it around. This is all very new, and I'm walking on eggshells trying to avoid hurting anyone. I'm pretty thick-skinned; I don't care if people tease me or call me out on what I'm doing, but I don't want to embarrass Tali or Liara. I trust you three, so I won't make it an order, but please keep it to yourself for the moment; as a favour to me."

"Don't worry Shepard, you can count on us." Garrus may have been smiling, Lucy still couldn't really tell. The sentiment was sincere though and echoed by the other two.

"Well, I think we can safely say that when it comes to shore-leave plans, Shepard has us thoroughly beat." Ashley said, pushing herself back from the table, "I think I'm going to go make sure the rest of my gear is squared away."

She narrowed her eyes at Wrex.

"I've seen you drooling over my shotgun; I want to make sure it's still here when I get back."

"You wish human; that paltry pea-shooter was designed with your species in mind. With all the credits Shepard's been throwing around, I've got more than enough to lay my hands on some real hardware while we're here."

"Oh yeah, you sure talk big Wrex. If you're as loaded as you say, why not put your money where your mouth is."

"So it's a bet." Wrex's eyes glittered, "Very well, 1000 credits says next time I kill twice your number of those slimy Geth."

Lucy could see from the surprised look in her eyes that the Krogan had called Ashley's bluff. To her credit however, the chief quickly recovered some composure and shook the giant hand offered to her.

"You're on; may the better species win."

"I should go finish packing." Lucy said, also excusing herself as the group began to disband, "I'll see you guys when we dock. You can give me the details of where you're all staying so I know where to go when it's time to hose you down and drag you back to the ship."

* * *

For the first time in a little while, it was just her in her cabin. Liara was busy going through a similar process on the other side of the ship, and Tali was down in engineering, having already packed her small assortment of personal items. It felt so empty; the room was much too big for one person, something Lucy had only noticed when someone else had started spending their time there.

Grabbing the last of her clothes and stuffing them unceremoniously into a duffel-bag, she took a moment to survey her luggage. She had more than someone like Tali, but it was still a pretty paltry amount. She hadn't brought many knick-knacks or decorative items with her, and there hadn't been a chance to buy any since their mission began. Perhaps she'd browse the local markets and see if there was anything she fancied. Lucy wasn't much of an art person, but she knew how to appreciate a pretty sculpture or a nice holograph. Perhaps she could even get some model ships to replace the ones she'd lost all those years ago on Mindoir. Space had always fascinated her, and every birthday, toy spaceships would top her list of desired presents.

In any case she'd certainly have to do some shopping; there was no way she could go out to dinner dressed in her navy slacks. There wasn't much call for nice casual-wear on a military starship, but her wardrobe could definitely be fleshed out a bit for occasions such as these.

Lucy smiled to herself. It was nice not to have to worry about money for once. The missions they were doing paid well, as did selling on all the excess gear they recovered, but the real gravy train was the survey work. Mining corporations were willing to pay hand over fist for the locations of rare minerals, as were universities, museums and private collectors for the various artefacts they found. It was difficult to keep track of everything, but Lucy always tried to make sure the antiquities found a good home, and didn't end up in the hands of some sleazy, black-market trader. Of course, most of the Prothean stuff she turned over to Liara, who invariably poured over it for hours on end before being reluctantly forced to pack it up and ship it back to Thessia.

There were still 10 minutes until everyone would congregate for disembarking, and Lucy allowed herself a few moments just to relax and let her eyes wander aimlessly around the room. If this excursion went well, as she desperately hoped it would, she got the feeling that she'd be spending even less time alone in here. She'd need to give both Liara and Tali the access codes, not to mention having extra beds installed.

_Whoa, slow down there girl. Let's take this one step at a time._

"Okay, okay..." Lucy mumbled to herself, glad that no one was around to hear her.

* * *

A rumble shuddered through the hull of the Normandy as the giant docking-clamps magnetised it into position. For several seconds, nobody could hear anyone else over the awful din of screeching metal; then, finally, the ship came to rest, securely fastened to the infinitely huger bulk of the Citadel. It was a different experience from docking with any other space station. There, like on a starship, you were aware of just how fragile your position was; how the only thing that kept you from a slow, freezing death in outer space were a few layers of hull and some fancy technology. On the Citadel however, it felt like there was actual ground beneath your feet; more like stepping onto a planet than another space-faring structure. Lucy revelled in the feeling, having spent more of her life with her feet on mud than metal.

About half the crew had left already by the time she got to the airlock, including the rest of the squad that wouldn't be staying with her. The unlucky ones who had pulled the short straws were left behind to organise maintenance schedules, coordinate with the engineering teams, and generally perform all the mundane housekeeping tasks required before the ship could be truly vacated.

Lucy browsed the crew manifest, bringing herself up to speed on where everyone would be, when she heard the sound of careful footfalls behind her.

"Shepard?" Liara's soft, dulcet tones were like a soothing balm after the last-minute frenzy of activity, "I hope I have not kept you too long. I see the others have left already."

"Not at all; we're still waiting on Tali anyway. You know what she's like with those engines." Lucy turned to the Asari, pocketing the pad she'd been reading and stepping up close to give her newest partner a warm embrace, "You all set to go?"

Liara seemed unsure of whether or not to return the hug, but after a few seconds without Lucy letting go, she dropped the bag she was carrying and let her arms encircle the spectre's torso. She was rewarded with a small sigh of contentment, and knew she'd acted correctly.

"I am." She said finally as Shepard disentangled them, "Although I don't have much in the way of belongings. There was little time to retrieve any items on Therum."

"I know what you mean, I haven't got a thing to wear. Perhaps we should have a look in the local clothes shops before doing anything else."

"I would like that." Liara said, looking sheepishly at the floor "Could you...advise me? It has been a long time since I bought any aesthetic garments; I normally find my lab coat sufficient for most situations. I do not know what would look 'good' on me."

"Liara, darling, anything would look perfect on you by virtue of the fact that you're the one wearing it." Lucy was touched by the shy smile which her words drew from the young Asari, "Of course I'll help you, but I should mention that I am by no means an expert in fashion and probably won't be of much use."

"On the contrary, your opinion is the only one that concerns me. I want to find something which you would enjoy seeing me in. I would say that you are the best one to judge what you like."

"I..." Lucy was surprised, and more than a bit touched by the statement, "I don't know what to say. I would be honoured, but don't feel like you have to get something just because I like it. You should choose clothes that you feel comfortable in."

"I see clothing as a way to enhance your appearance for those around you. Since you are the person I wish to please, wearing something that I know you like would be more than enough to satisfy me."

"Oh Liara, you say the sweetest things," Lucy mumbled, trying to swallow down a sudden and rather unwelcome lump in her throat, "You're going to make me all teary."

The Asari maiden could sense the faint waves of pleasure rolling off the spectre; a sign of the growing bond between them. The sensation was subtle, but was becoming increasingly easy to detect as her and Lucy became closer emotionally. When...if, they joined in Union, it would intensify to the point that she'd know Shepard's emotional state no matter how far they were separated. To be able to feel what Lucy felt, to know when she was most in need of comfort and love; it was as beautiful as it was daunting. Union was the most intimate experience in an Asari's lifetime, and Union with a soul-mate was said to be stronger by far.

With a quick glance to make sure no one was within easy earshot, Lucy leaned in and whispered in her partner's ear.

"I love you darling."

"I love you too." Liara's reply was heartfelt, but Lucy could sense that there was an undercurrent of something else. Something was bothering the Asari, something she hadn't picked up on before. It showed in the tightness of her shoulders, and the slight tremor when she spoke.

"Sweetheart, is everything okay?" Lucy enjoyed the look of pleased confusion that her partner adopted whenever she introduced a new nickname for her, "I haven't done anything to upset you have I?"

"No, no do not think that." Liara hurried to explain, "I am just a bit...nervous, about this trip. It is the first time the three of us will be together as partners after all. I have to confess that I have not spoken with Tali much, and not at all since you...we...well, I am unsure of what to expect."

"I know my love. I wish I could tell you, but truth be told, I'm just as apprehensive as you are. All I can say is that Tali is the sweetest, most kind-hearted person you'll ever meet and she undoubtedly wants this trip to go just as well as you do. If the three of us can't figure this out, no one can."

Lucy brushed a hand across Liara's cheek, watching her unconscious reaction to nuzzle into the offered palm. Did she have any idea how sweet she was? Probably not; and that just made it all the more endearing. There was no way Lucy could crush her now; this had to work...she'd make it work, no matter what it took.

"Commander...commander Shepard!"

Sighing with frustration, the spectre broke the momentary spell between them.

"I'll just be a sec love, I promise."

Lucy disappeared through the airlock to attend to whatever issues her crew were having, leaving Liara alone with her thoughts. Idly, the Asari brushed some motes of dust off a nearby console, not really aware of what she was doing as her mind raced with ideas, fears and the giddy, all-pervasive happiness that felt like it would never go away. Until she met Shepard, she'd never thought herself capable of experiencing so many conflicting emotions. Then again, that was just one of many new things she was learning about herself. Perhaps things weren't quite as different as she'd thought. Up until now she'd been fixated on discovering the lives of other people; now she was finally beginning to discover her own.

_*Ahem*_

Liara was pulled out of her daydream by a small, polite cough which sounded from behind her.

"Dr. T'Soni?" Tali's voice was very distinctive. Sucking in a steadying breath, Liara braced herself for what she expected to be a rather awkward conversation, even by her standards.

"I, uh, Tali." _Oh Goddess, what am I meant to say?_ "How are you?"


	26. Chapter 26: The Utopia Complex

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 26 – The Utopia Complex**

It wasn't the most original greeting, especially considering the woman talking to her was also a person she'd be living with for the next week. She'd thought she was prepared for this, but now that Tali was actually here, she wasn't so sure. What should she say? What could she say!? By the Goddess, where was Shepard?

"I-I'm fine." The quarian seemed to be having difficulty meeting her gaze; it was hard to tell behind that visor. "Has Lucy come up yet?"

"She was here just a minute ago." Liara paused, before realising she should probably elaborate. "She went go and sort out some details with the rest of the crew; I expect she'll be back in a moment."

"Oh, okay."

_Think Liara, think! You have to say something, even if it's just so called 'small-talk'._

"I-uh," She had always worked quite well under pressure; perhaps committing herself to the conversation would force her mind to come up with ideas. Either that or she was about to make a complete fool of herself. More likely the latter. "I-I-I..."

_Oh Goddess, I'm hopeless._

"I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who's finding this awkward." Tali somehow managed to giggle in such a way that left Liara thinking she was more terrified than amused, "I-I spent the whole walk up here from engineering trying to figure out what I'd say to you."

"You too?" Liara let out a sigh of relief, before tentatively enquiring, "So, um, what comes after the bit where you ask me where Shepard is?"

"Well, that was about as far as I got." Tali seemed to be finding the clasp of her bag extremely fascinating. Liara's heart went out to the young quarian; the scientist could well have been looking at herself, standing there without a clue how to act or what to say.

"Oh, well, it's a start." The asari tried to think of what she'd want the other person to say to her in this situation. Perhaps if they could find some common ground; a shared interest. It would be a start at least. Hopefully, once they'd got past the initial tension, the rest would flow naturally. But what did they both like? Liara hardly knew Tali, at least, not on a personal level. Everything she knew, really, she'd learned from Lucy. They both shared scientific interests of sorts, but in two completely different fields. What did they have to talk about? What thread connected the two of them?

_Of course._

Liara bit the bullet. "So, I, er, I don't want to be too f-forward...but w-what do you think? Of her, I mean, of...us?"

_Too soon! Too soon! Goddess, it sounds like you're interrogating her._

If the quarian thought the question was odd, it didn't show. She was apparently ready to grasp at any thread of conversation which presented an opportunity to break the awkward silence.

"Lucy?" Her fidgeting tailed off, as if she was deep in thought, "She's...she's..."

_Perfect?_

"...perfect."

Tali looked at her properly. For the first time since the conversation began, their gazes met. The only thing Liara could distinguish through the fog of her life support were her eyes, and they shone with an unspoken admiration.

"But you don't need me to tell you that. I-" She paused, seemingly questioning whether or not to disclose something, "I-I've seen the way you look at her..."

"Like she's the only other person in the room?" Liara breathlessly finished the sentence, letting her own sentiments mingle with the quarian's in mutual understanding, "Like your eyes would starve to death if her body wasn't there to feed them?"

"Exactly," Tali's face was inscrutable, but Liara was certain she knew what she was trying to express. It was what she'd felt ever since the spectre had come crashing so unexpectedly into her life.

"You know," The quarian continued, apprehension written all over her body, "When Lucy first told me that she loved you, I was more than a little upset. I, uh...I-I felt certain that no one could love her as much as I did."

There was that nervous little laugh again. Liara wanted to do something to help put Tali at ease, but wasn't even sure where to begin. Instead, she simply swallowed down her fear at what might be said, and nodded.

"It hurt me." The way she said those words left no doubt that it truly had. "B-But then, I, um, I accidentally overheard the two of you talking; just after you had woken up. The things you said to each other; well, it made me realise that there was someone else out there who could honestly say that...that they loved her. The way I love her."

Liara could feel a large portion of her apprehension dissolve away as she listened to Tali's expressive explanation. In a way, it seemed the quarian had endured more pain than she had. Liara had feared never having the woman she loved, but Tali had feared losing her, even if such concerns had been quickly laid to rest. The asari tried to imagine how much it would hurt, seeing Lucy recede into the arms of someone else and turning her back on their love. She quickly stopped, for the thought brought on an icy-cold dread which made her visibly shiver. Empathy was a natural talent of her race, and although Liara hadn't had much practice at it, she did find herself humbled by Tali's willingness to risk that horrid and hurtful place for the sake of her and Shepard. Liara knew it took little to spark self-doubt, yet it took extraordinary courage to defeat it. She had never truly mastered her own, but now, with Lucy by her side, she at least felt that she was winning the battle. After all, how could she doubt herself when the first human spectre didn't?

"This is all so new to me," Liara admitted, feeling that she should reciprocate Tali's gift of honesty with one of her own. Talking about how she felt wasn't something that came easily to the young asari, but she didn't want to lose this tentative bond of understanding with her lover's other partner. Thinking of Lucy and determined not to fail her, she forced herself to keep talking, "I've never been in any kind of relationship before. I..."

She stumbled over the words, but didn't let herself stop.

"There's so much I have to learn...i-it's all so overwhelming. I-I just want her to be happy; with me...with-with us." Liara held Tali's gaze, silently imploring the other girl to recognize her sincerity. "Do you think we can do it? Figure out a way to love her where no one feels hurt or-or spurned?"

Tali hesitated for less than a second. In her mind, it was no longer a question of' if', simply 'how'.

"Yes, we will." The quarian surprised both of them by reaching out and resting a comforting hand on Liara's shoulder, "You know...I...I think I can see why she loves you."

Liara had no response to that. What she did realise however, was that something very important had just taken place. In the past few minutes, she and Tali had taken the first steps towards an acceptance that would ultimately form the foundation of any kind of polygamous relationship.

"Liara?" Lucy's voice sounded faintly from outside, steadily drawing closer as she approached the airlock, "Liara? Is Tali up yet, we..."

The object of their affections re-entered the ship, looking slightly flustered, but otherwise as radiant as usual. She stopped when she saw the two women standing there, Tali's hand on Liara's shoulder, and a smile crept unbidden to her lips. It was heart-warming to see that her partners were already getting to know each other better, and it filled her with fresh resolve.

"Well, now that you're both here, the holiday can well and truly begin."

"Lead the way, Lucy." Tali said, gathering up the small bag which contained all her worldly possessions and slinging it over her shoulder. Liara followed suit, and together, the three of them exited the ship. There wasn't much conversation as they headed for the taxi rank; each member of the trio deep in her own thoughts. Liara had worried that it might be awkward, but instead, there was a sense of silent anticipation in the air. One way or another, the next week was going to be unforgettable.

* * *

He had heard organics talk about the 'chill' of space. For them, it was a fitting description; the water in their cells froze at approximately 273K and even this close to a star, the temperature of the void was a mere 2.73K. Where he came from, it was as close enough to absolute zero that it made no statistical difference. It could take years for two neighbouring atoms to collide, their kinetic energy reduced to the tiniest dreg necessary for their continued existence. It was an apt analogy for the fate soon to befall the life in this galaxy.

The Shadow Broker did not feel the cold; he was merely aware of it as one of the multitude of variables measured by his external sensors as he glided through the infinite, inky blackness. To him, the emptiness was anything but; it teemed with radiation which ran the gamut of the electromagnetic spectrum, every individual wave from every celestial object he could see captured, analyzed, and filed away. Information was his buisness, and no piece of data, no matter how small or insignificant, was below categorisation.

Before him, the immense bulk of a Mass Relay carved out a silhouette against the star-studded background. It filled him with the logical equivalent of pride to see the legacy of his race; still fulfilling its primary function so long after its creation. It also served as a reminder of who really ruled this galaxy. He devoted one process to scouring his archives on the human race for a suitable comparison. It came to him immediately. The Reapers were like the keepers of an ant colony; they provided the initial conditions in which their subjects could grow and thrive. As they did, the mindless insects believed themselves to be masters of their own environment, blissfully unaware that those that had created it were in complete control of their fate.

20km away from the edifice's pulsating eezo core, the Shadow Broker accelerated, tracing the familiar path more commonly taken by starships on an approach vector. When travelling alone, however, he had no need of a metal shell to transport him. 10km out, he mentally transmitted his destination coordinates, using hidden subroutines known only to his kind to set up a trail of false leads which would lead any pursuers to an untimely demise in the heart of a Quasar supercluster. Not that he anticipated being followed; his size and invisibility to most conventional scanning techniques ensured that a passing ship would register him as nothing more than a bit of space-junk.

A strand of blue lightning arced from the contained singularity of the relay, striking the Shadow Broker in the chest and dancing across his carapace like the spindly legs of phantom arachnids. He understood the sensation could be likened to being 'tickled'. Then again, if an organic capable of such feelings somehow attempted the same procedure, they would be torn apart in a matter of nanoseconds. Instead, they scurried through the tunnels of his ant colony in their air-tight coffins. It was almost amusing that they considered themselves the rulers of a realm they couldn't even survive in without protection.

With a roar silenced by the vacuum of space, the agent of the enemy was blasted across light-years in the blink of an eye. His transit was logged as nothing more than another flight-plan, lost to the vast streams of data which fed to Citadel control from the vast transit network.

* * *

Much to Lucy's delight, once the three of them had clambered into a waiting taxi pod, conversation began to flow more freely. Tali and Liara were still noticeably shy around each other, mainly talking to her rather than between themselves, but they seemed comfortable enough to let their guards down and partake of some light banter. Lucy wished she knew what had been said in the short time she'd been away, but she also realised that it probably wouldn't have happened if she had been there. Like it or not, there were some things that the two of them would have to work through without her direct input; all she could do was be as supportive as possible.

Watching the towers and traffic of Kithoi ward speed by as they raced towards their destination, she pondered what their next move should be. She had suggested to Liara that they shop for some more casual clothes, but it was only just beginning to dawn on her that that wasn't really something Tali could participate in. It would be more than heartless if the first thing they did was also something that excluded the young quarian.

Then again, Lucy thought, wracking her brains for ideas, maybe there was a way to include everyone. It wasn't in Tali's selfless nature to complain, but Lucy couldn't help noticing that her head-shawl was looking rather stained and tattered from repeated abuse in the field. Perhaps together they could find a suitable replacement. It had been many years since she'd last visited this area, but she could still remember the names of a few shops that might stock such accessories.

Another item which shot straight to the top of her mental shopping list was more of the quarian immuno-boosters which she and Tali had used on their first night together. It was expensive as hell to buy any that even half worked, the market for them being rather limited, but she was determined to acquire as many crates as could be physically crammed into Normandy's cargo hold. Whilst she accepted Tali's suit as an integral part of who the quarian was, she also knew that both of them would enjoy not having to be restricted by it. Before, supplies had been so limited that they only had enough to use when they wanted to make love. It would be nice to have a sufficient surplus to be able to spend some time in the flesh with Tali on a simple day-to-day basis as well.

"I've seen this area before," Tali said suddenly, pressing her faceplate to the window, "I remember it from my Pilgrimage; it's the Utopia Complex, but..."

Lucy knew where the engineer's train of thought was going, and found herself squirming self-consciously. This was the part she'd conveniently forgotten to mention. No one but her was fully aware of quite how much money their mission had been generating. At the time it had seemed like such a wonderful idea, but now Lucy was beginning to wonder if her partners would approve of their destination.

"...but it can't be. This...this is where all the diplomats and government officials stay when they visit the Citadel. A week in one of the suites here must cost more than a small starship."

"Not quite," The spectre interjected, "But, erm, you're...you're not that far off."

"You didn't..." Liara said softly, gazing in wonderment at the glittering terraces and nestled ornamental gardens which were clearly visible as their craft decelerated into a lazy descent angle, "I-I mean...how?"

"Well, uh, I had a bit stashed away," Lucy rubbed the back of her neck nervously. Was it really hot in the taxi pod, or was it just her? "You know, for special occasions...a-and I thought now would be the perfect time to, er, indulge ourselves. We won't get another opportunity like this for a while after all."

"It's beautiful," Tali whispered, "I never thought I'd ever...Keelah, I don't think any quarian has even come close to here since we lost our embassy."

The taxi glided gently downwards, looping around the myriad of spires and walkways which rose from the district's many impressive structures. A set of blinking lights highlighted their final destination; a landing pad which protruded from an elliptical ring of buildings near the quarter's edge. Passing through the static barrier, a nearly invisible force field designed to trap breathable atmosphere, their ride finally alighted on a very good approximation of solid ground. It looked strangely out of place among the million-credit luxury sports cars and private shuttles owned by the other patrons; no doubt ambassadors or big buisness types of some description. Lucy had to admit though, despite the somewhat snobby clientele, it was absolutely breathtaking. She'd done some research on the extranet beforehand, looking for somewhere they could stay, but the tiny pictures she'd seen could never do it justice. Unlike the rest of the wards, the Utopia Complex maintained a permanent, bubble-shaped static barrier that meant the whole area could effectively remain exposed to the 'outside'. It was reminiscent of the Presidium; except instead of a simulated sky overhead, you had an awe inspiring view of the Citadel arms, imposed over the iridescent backdrop of the Serpent Nebula. Narrowing her eyes, Lucy was just able to make out the glowing veins of traffic on Tayseri Warp opposite.

"Come on, let's go check out the rooms!" Lucy was already out of the car and beckoning to her companions. Having gotten over the initial shock, Liara and Tali hurriedly snatched up their luggage and followed suit, not stopping to look as the automated vehicle whirred itself to life and took off back the way it came.

The Utopia Complex wasn't so much a hotel as it was a resort. Several different letting companies vied for supremacy, but ultimately each one offered equally luxurious accommodation differing only in minutiae like the style of the decor. The perfectly maintained villas were interspersed with clusters of premium nightclubs, bars and shopping precincts designed to cater to the wealthier audience which frequented them. Having blown a large chunk of her credits on the rent alone, Lucy wasn't sure how much use they'd be able to get out of them. Fortunately, the wealth gradient decreased steadily as you left the central hub, and there were many more affordable boutiques in the area. On the other hand, it wasn't like the money did any good just sitting in her bank account.

As the three of them exited the parking area in awed silence, it occurred to Lucy that she didn't have the foggiest idea where they were meant to go. There was no signpost, and nowhere that looked like a reception area. Just as she was about to admit defeat, a VI pedestal came to life nearby, displaying a holographic image of an asari not dissimilar from Avina, the tourist interface on the Presidium.

"Greetings, and allow me to be the first to welcome you to the Sentis plaza. I am your virtual guide, Selena. We hope your journey to our premium resort was a pleasant one. If I may take the name of your party leader, I will show you to your apartment."

Lucy glanced at the other two, unable to stop a bit of a smirk from spreading across her features. She was quite certain they weren't the type of person the computerised concierge was used to addressing.

"I guess we'd better do what she says," Lucy approached the pedestal, the VI detecting her movement and orienting itself to face her, "Lucy Shepard. We're a party of three."

"One minute ma'am while I access our guest list." Selena stood unblinking for a few moments, "Ah, here we are; the penthouse suite on level A2, booked for a week, is that correct?"

"Certainly is."

"Very good ma'am, if your party would please follow me." The small holo emitter from which Selena was projected began to move at a leisurely pace along a rail mounted in the floor. It was a surreal sight, watching the VI glide off down the path like a digital ghost.

"Uh...okay then." Lucy motioned for them to keep up with their guide. The route she was taking led them right across the middle of the circular courtyard, past concentric rings of floral displays surrounding a central fountain. Flowers of all shapes, sizes and colours clustered together in a dazzling show of spectral beauty. It was hard to believe they weren't planet-side.

"Goddess, is that..." Liara slowed her pace to examine a large, vine-like plant adorned with indigo buds in full bloom, "It is!"

She turned to Lucy, an expression of utter delight on her face.

"It's a Hanging Rose...'Maiden's Folly'." Carefully, she plucked off one of the blossoms, "Mother used to love them. In the summertime, the walls of our house would be completely covered. They're very rare outside of Thessia; I-I haven't seen one since I left home."

Carefully, Liara handed the flower to her partner, the tiniest beginnings of a blush creeping up her neck.

"H-Here."

Feeling utterly charmed, Lucy pressed the violet petals to her nose and inhaled deeply. A rich, succulent sweetness, like the scent of terran roses only much more intense caressed her senses.

"It smells wonderful," She looked up at the embarrassed Asari through lidded eyes, "What does the name mean...'Maiden's Folly'?"

"Oh..." Liara's blush suddenly intensified, "T-Their scent is a mild aphrodisiac; a-a-at least, for asari. In the past, maidens would give them to the one they desired, in the hopes that the smell would make them more...susceptible to their advances. A-Apparently it worked...hence the name."

Lucy's gaze drifted from the flower, to Liara, and back again.

"Why, Miss T'Soni! Anyone would think you were trying to seduce me."

A palpable silence hung in the air between them. It took Liara several moments to find the courage to speak.

"P-Perhaps." She squeaked.

Lucy's smile widened, but the flirtatious remark she was about to make died on the tip of her tongue. Her eyes were drawn to where Tali was standing, forlornly holding a blossom between two delicate fingers. As their relationship had progressed from acquaintances, to friends, and finally to lovers, Lucy had become quite adept at discerning the quarian's mood from her body language. It didn't take a genius to know what was going through Tali's mind as she stared sadly at the flower, making no attempt to bring it up to her face.

It struck the spectre then how insensitive she must seem at times. She was so caught up in trying to make everyone happy that she sometimes lost sight of the fact that her actions could hurt people's hearts as well as heal them.

_What was it that you said to them? That this was for their benefit, not for yours? By god, you'd better start practicing what you preach young lady!_

"Go to her Shepard..." With a start, Lucy realised that Liara had spoken to her. Looking back, she saw that the asari was also watching the heart-wrenching scene. Her voice was shaky, but there was an unmissable conviction behind the words she way saying."Got to her...s-she needs you more than I do right now."

It hadn't dawned on Lucy until that she'd been seeking Liara's approval to act until it was given. Knowing that the asari didn't think she was spoiling their moment however, finalised her decision. She mouthed a silent 'thank you', hoping it was enough to convey how truly grateful she was. Then, tucking the scientist's gift into her breast pocket, she hurried to Tali's side.

Liara watched Lucy go, not really able to make sense of what she was feeling. She wasn't sure what had possessed her to say what she had, or how she'd known what Lucy had wanted without asking. She had thought it was because they were soul mates; but now, looking at the way Tali suddenly reached out and hugged her spectre, she realised it was simply because they were in love.


	27. Chapter 27: A Beginning

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 27 – A Beginning**

"Your apartment can be reached via the elevator in the atrium annex. If you have any further questions, there are information terminals located here and in each bedroom. On behalf of Sentis Accommodations, I would like to thank you for your patronage. We hope you have a pleasant stay."

The Selena avatar disappeared back into her pedestal, leaving the three of them alone in the shining white foyer. Lucy scanned the room until she spotted the plaque labelled 'Penthouse' above one of the many doors.

Shepard had been very careful about selecting where they were going to stay. Aside from being a bit fancy, she'd also wanted somewhere romantic, with a fully furnished kitchen and, most importantly of all, three double bedrooms. It was vital for so many reasons that each of them had a space they could call their own, and this seemed like the ideal solution. From what she'd seen, each bed was easily big enough to accommodate two or more people, if it came to that. On the flipside, by making sure there was enough sleeping space to go around, it was clear that she wasn't demanding anything of anyone.

Having a proper food preparation area had also appealed to her. She'd always wanted to try her hand at cooking, yet had rarely had the opportunity since enlisting. The military wasn't known for producing great chefs, after all. Hopefully, though, any meal she served would be judged favourably compared to the tasteless rations they got on the Normandy. It was difficult to see how she could make anything worse, short of handing out plates of animal dung.

As for a romantic view, well, she'd already seen that one, and it was absolutely breath-taking. Lucy couldn't imagine anything more beautiful against which to frame their time together.

With the rose clutched firmly in one hand and duffel sack in the other, she boarded the elevator.

* * *

"Oh my god..."

The apartment certainly didn't disappoint. As the ladies disembarked from the lift, they found themselves in a huge, open-plan room, complete with an indoor water feature and the very latest in fashionable, modern decor. Lucy didn't even know where to begin; her eyes flitted from one lavish item to the next, struggling to take it all in. The fountain in the middle rose out of a circular hot-tub, although it was probably closer to a swimming pool in terms of its size. Everything else in the room radiated out from that central point, like the spokes of a great wheel. On the far side of the bath, safely out of any kind of splash zone, was what looked like the main living area. An array of seats surrounded several coffee tables and faced away from the centre, out towards a huge, semicircular glass wall. Beyond the window lay the awe-inspiring vista of Kithoi Ward, stretching away into the distance and seemingly going on forever.

To the left of the seating area was the kitchen. Lucy couldn't make out the details, rooted to the spot as she was by sheer amazement, but it appeared to be equipped with everything she could possibly need and twice as much again that she wouldn't, but would certainly enjoy playing with. Like everything else in the suite, the worktop followed a curved pattern, arcing out alongside the wooden decking which surrounded the jacuzzi. The section closest to the water seemed to be a fully stocked bar, complete with its own set of bar-stools and recliners, presumably so the wealthy elite could lounge by their indoor pool and sip whatever expensive beverage they preferred.

Taking a tentative step forward, Lucy realised that the floor was set out like a gently inclined amphitheatre. The area in the middle occupied a lower level than the chairs on the far side, which in turn were a step down from the perimeter; a space left clear of any furniture for ease of access to the other rooms. Even this area wasn't lacking decadence however; every free section of wall without a door seemed to house a magnificent work of art. There were paintings of every style, from every culture imaginable. Asari landscapes, human abstracts, turian portraits, even some pieces which, bizarrely enough, appeared to be the work of krogan artists. Now there was an oxymoron if ever she'd heard one. Still, she had to admit, once you got past the initial shock, they were really quite beautiful in their simplicity; forgoing fancy techniques for big, bold brush strokes.

Everywhere Lucy looked, something else new and exciting caught her eye. Right next to the exit from the elevator sat a particularly interesting sculpture. Lucy couldn't place its race of origin, but its tapering, needle-like form intrigued her. She followed its bulbous contours, her gaze being drawn upwards towards its tip, and what she saw made her gasp aloud. The ceiling was one giant window! From their high vantage point, above the other towers of the Ward, there was nothing obstructing their view of the Serpent Nebula. It swirled around the Citadel, dwarfing the colossal space-station with its infinite vastness like some titanic, interstellar leviathan. As she stared out into the depths of space, it seemed to suck her in, and for one dizzying moment it felt as if she was free-falling towards Tayseri Ward at incredible speed. It took a moment of silent concentration for her to dismiss the vertigo and bring herself back down to solid ground.

"Oh Keelah, this place is...it's huge!" Tali was the first to break the reverent silence, running her hand over the walls as if to make sure they were real and not some opulent illusion, "On the Flotilla, a space this size would house at least forty people."

"It is exceptional." Liara agreed. By nature, the asari was more reserved than Tali, but Lucy could see the child-like excitement sparkling in her eyes as she slowly took in their surroundings. The joyful reactions of her partners helped alleviate some of Shepard's worry. She had been concerned that it would look like she was needlessly showing off her newfound wealth, or somehow trying to bribe the other women. In truth, all she wanted was to do was ensure their stay was as comfortable as possible.

"I suggest we find a place to store our belongings." Liara continued.

"Huh?" Lucy only half-heard the Asari; her wandering mind was only dimly aware of what was going on. Liara was right of course; as eager as she was to explore everything the suite had to offer, they should unpack and freshen up first. "Oh, yes, of course! If I remember the floor plan correctly, the bedrooms should be through here."

"Well, if they're anything like the rest, I doubt we'll be disappointed." Tali added, following Shepard and consciously trying to keep her eyes in their sockets.

As expected, no luxury had been spared in their sleeping quarters. The beds themselves were easily 8square feet in size, and came with their own computer terminal that functioned as both a digital tour-guide of the immediate area and the controller for a variety of heating, lighting, and built-in massage options available. Each room was lit by a set of programmable luminescent panels in the walls, creating a sense of general illumination without any harsh shadows or bright, singular source points. Even the floor itself was decadently designed, being constructed from some kind of smart polymer which, at the press of a button, could transform from a rigid, wooden surface to a blissfully soft shag pile carpet.

The bedrooms were adjacent to each other, arranged in a row along the right-hand side of the main living space. They were separate rooms, each having its own door, but were connected together by a communal balcony which ran the length of the exterior wall. Lucy was thankful that she wasn't afraid of heights; being situated in the penthouse meant it was a long way down to the ground if someone chose to peer over the safety railing.

The Spectre set about unpacking her meagre collection of belongings. She'd had to bring all her personal effects with her off the ship so the Citadel technicians would be free to come and go as they pleased. There wasn't much; some clothes, a few books (Lucy had always liked the feel of real paper, and had spent almost a whole years savings on acquiring the antiques), general toiletries, and most important of all, the framed photograph of her parents. It was the only picture she had of them, and one of the few things she'd escaped with when their home colony was attacked. Ever since then, it had gone with her on every tour of duty. Smiling fondly, she gave it pride of place on the nightstand by her bed, right next to Liara's rose, which sat in a tiny vase, filled with water.

Sticking her novels in the drawer of the same bedside unit, Lucy finished up by stashing her clothes away. She couldn't help but laugh at the incongruity of a few crumpled sets of navy slacks, hanging in a wardrobe designed to accommodate the full dress collection of an ambassador's wife. There was never any way she could hope to fill it, but a few more items would hardly go amiss. It had been too long since she'd had a chance to indulge her feminine side, what little of it there was, at any rate. Still, if there ever was a time to do so, that time was now.

Lucy glanced at the clock; it was only 12:23 according to galactic standard time. Humans were lucky really; one 20 hour period on the Citadel was only marginally longer than the standard terran 24-hour system. With so many planets out there, all with different rotational period, trying to adjust to local time was always a nightmare. It seemed odd to her that the Alliance had yet to adopt the Citadel's decimal clock. Military crews returning from prolonged periods in deep space often suffered from so called 'shuttle-lag', sometimes for several days at a time as their bodies readjusted. Fortunately, that didn't matter so much on the Wards. The denomination 'day' carried little significance; there was no night time, and as such, the citizens tended to maintain whatever sleep schedule was most convenient for them. It was a blessing really; no matter where you were on your internal clock, there would always be shops and restaurants open.

Having woken up less than four hours ago, Lucy was far from feeling tired just yet. Being the commander of the Normandy, her on-duty time was more flexible than the rest of the crew's, and she'd tried to make sure it coincided Tali's and Liara's as much as possible, provided that she wasn't needed for any particular tasks. She counted off the timetable in her head, having memorized her partner's rotations, and concluded that none of them had been awake for more than six hours. That left plenty of time for shopping, and maybe a nice meal out before they would have to think about retiring.

Feeling pleased that everything was coming together, Lucy went to check on the others.

* * *

Liara had just finished folding the last of her lab coats, regrettably the only outfits she owned other than combat armour, when an excited Shepard came bouncing through the door.

"This place is incredible!" The Spectre beamed, "You know, I told the rest of the team that I would go and drag them back to the ship at the end of the week, but I think they're the ones who are going to have to pry me away."

Liara couldn't remember ever seeing Lucy more relaxed than she was now. Watching the hero of humanity roll around on the bed and giggle to herself was a slightly surreal experience, but one that warmed the asari's heart to its very core. Lucy needed this so badly. The Spectre never complained, but Liara had always been able to see the toll their mission exacted on her partner. She carried such a heavy burden on her young shoulders. Liara had lived three times Shepard's lifespan, yet she could not fathom what it must be like to have such responsibility thrust upon her. She marvelled at the fact that Lucy could continue going at all, knowing what the price of failure would be. Yet here she was, enjoying herself, seemingly without a care in the galaxy.

_Perhaps it is a human thing?_ She thought. _Maybe their shorter lifespan means they have to focus on making the most of the present, rather than devoting time to worrying about the past or the future._

Liara suddenly noticed that Lucy had rolled onto her back, and was peering up at the asari with a curious expression.

"What?"

"Oh n-nothing," Liara blushed slightly. She had been caught staring again. It was fortunate that Shepard did not seem to mind. "I was just thinking..."

"About what, darling?" Lucy flipped herself over again so she could look at Liara properly. The asari swallowed nervously; she couldn't trust herself when their eyes met like this. Shepard's emerald orbs always reduced her to a puddle of jelly. She could already feel her legs threatening to give way under the smouldering gaze, and was only able to stop herself from falling over by quickly perching on the edge of the bed.

"H-How much I..." Liara was still getting used to the fact that she was able to say these words aloud. It was a privilege that, up until a few days ago, she'd never thought she'd be able to have. "...love you."

Lucy was silent for a moment. Without breaking eye contact, she reached out and softly brushed her fingers across the asari's brow. The rest of Liara's world seemed to recede into the distance as she felt the feather-light touch on her skin. She sucked in a steadying breath, knowing instinctively what was about to happen.

"You know," Lucy murmured. "I never properly thanked you for that flower you gave me."

Snaking a hand around her lover's neck, the Spectre gently guided Liara's head to her's. The young asari had a brief sense of warm breath on her cheek before their lips met and every other sensation ceased to exist. When they kissed like this, all notion of time disappeared from her mind. Everything revolved around the point of contact between them, and the delicious feeling of her soul mate's tongue against her own. Liara closed her eyes, and hungrily returned the favour, blissfully aware of every minute movement they made against each other.

At long last, flushed and panting, they separated. Liara instantly missed the feel of Lucy's skin on hers and was pleasantly surprised when the Spectre pulled her into a firm hug. Sighing contentedly, she wrapped her arms around the Spectre's torso and nuzzled into her offered neck. It occurred to her then how truly miraculous Lucy's power over her emotions was. She had felt so powerful when they were kissing, delighting in the fact that she could bring pleasure to the woman she loved, and now, cradled in that same woman's arms, she felt safe and secure; as if nothing in the universe could ever hurt or damage her.

"You've been so wonderful these past few days." The Spectre whispered, emphasising her words by tightening the embrace. "I-I don't want to sound patronising, but I'm so proud of you and Tali...for putting up with me and my stupid ways." She placed another kiss on one of Liara's crests. "Thank you darling. Thank you so, _so_ much."

It wasn't until drops of moisture started splashing the back of her neck that Liara realised Lucy was crying; something she'd only ever witnessed once before, not long after they met. She remembered how much it had pained her to see Shepard in such distress, even back then when they hardly knew each other. Now though, it felt like someone was gouging at her heart with a rusty blade. It was almost more than it could endure, but this time, she knew not to hesitate. Her soul-mate was upset, and it was her job to find out why and put it right.

"You are not stupid Lucy!" She said, the words laden with such conviction that she sounded more angry than understanding. Wincing at her harsh tone, Liara desperately thought of what she could say to comfort her partner. She didn't even know what had suddenly caused Lucy to become so unhappy. After a second spent wracking her brains however, she realised what she had to do. With a forwardness that was quite unlike her usual self, the asari encouraged Lucy to stand. "Come on my love. W-What was that human saying you taught me...'A problem shared is...?'"

"...a p-problem halved?" Lucy sniffled.

"Indeed. Well...a problem shared with two is a problem, um, thirded." Liara gently steered Lucy out of the bedroom. "I think it's time we all had a proper talk."

She didn't stop to analyze what she was doing, because she knew that if she did, her resolve would probably abandon her as suddenly as it had arrived. Instead, Liara trusted her instincts, and guided her lover to the next room along.

* * *

Tali was humming quietly to herself when they entered, engrossed in the control panel next to her bed. She didn't immediately notice the pair standing in the doorway, and after a few seconds, Liara politely cleared her throat.

"Is that you Lucy?" The quarian said, looking up with barely contained excitement, "You will not believe the stuff you can do with this thing! I think I've found a way to...to..."

Her words trailed off when she saw the Spectre's puffy red eyes, and the way Liara was holding her.

"Keelah, what's wrong!?" Tali quickly hurried over. If she was at all self-conscious about displaying affection in front of the asari, it didn't show. She took a place at Lucy's other shoulder, seeking out the Spectre's hand with her own and gripping it firmly. "What happened?"

"I-I don't know..." Lucy sobbed, allowing herself to be sat down on the bed. It was only partially the truth, but she didn't want to burden the others with her problems. After all, how could she tell them? How could she admit that despite everything they'd said, she still felt so guilty it made her sick to think about it? It was laughable really; here she was, cradled between the most amazing, understanding, kind-hearted women she'd ever met, and she still couldn't convince herself that this was right. The very fact that she could feel self-pity at a time like this made her even more disgusted. Damn it, she was the luckiest woman in the galaxy, why couldn't she just make herself realise it?

"You do not have to hide anything from us." Liara whispered, brushing several loose strands of hair behind Lucy's ear. Silently, she glanced at Tali, hoping she could convey the message 'Save me!' using only her eyes.

"Please my love, let us help you." Tali shuffled closer. It was times like these that she hated her suit and how it prevented her from being able to kiss her beloved, or whisper in her ear. "I can't bear to see you like this. Please...tell us what's wrong."

Lucy looked at her partners through tear-filled eyes. She knew that heroes weren't meant to have insecurities; weren't ever meant to doubt themselves, but right now, she didn't feel like a hero at all.

"Oh god..." Her voice cracked as she spoke. "...I-I can't help myself...I just, I-I-I...I don't deserve..." She could feel herself giving in to the urge to break down completely. "Please...I h-have to know..."

"Know what?" Liara was aware of tears prickling at the corners of her eyes as well, and marvelled at the fact that they hadn't come sooner. Were it not for the adrenaline coursing through her veins, she was certain that she'd be a weeping wreck as well. "What do you want us to say!?"

Tali took a more practical approach. Standing up, she grabbed Lucy by the shoulders with such intensity that the Spectre looked up in surprise.

"We _love_ you Lucy!" She yelled, so loudly her helmet's audio filter whined in protest. "Keelah, can't you see!? The only person you're hurting here is yourself!" By now her voice was breaking too, but she hardly seemed to notice. "Please, _please_, stop putting yourself through this unnecessary pain. Damn it, just...just let us love you!"

Lucy was so startled, that, for a moment, she forgot that she was crying at all and simply stared at Tali. The young quarian's lean frame shook in the wake of her impassioned outburst, like a dry leaf in a stiff breeze.

"Oh Keelah, please, just let us love you."

Suffocating silence filled the room as Lucy gawped, first at Tali, then at Liara. A random scrap of trivia she'd read on the extranet many years ago fluttered through her mind. She remembered reading that the human psyche was naturally resistant to change, be it a change of circumstance, a change of opinion, or a change of personality. At that moment, she realised that the small part of herself which thought that this would never work was scrutinising her partners, desperately searching their faces for some sign of insincerity, some token of resentment which would allow the doubt to continue festering away. That tiny, dark part of her brain was clinging on to the status quo for dear life. However, no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't find anything but love. The truth was that Tali and Liara really did love her, unconditionally.

Lucy could almost hear the sliver of doubt die inside her. It wouldn't be missed.

Like a ray of sunshine, her smile pierced the storm clouds which had threatened to envelop them. A blue hand offered her a tissue, which she gratefully accepted and used to wipe away the residue of her sorrow. Liara's face was also streaked with tears, but she grinned back at the Spectre, hope shining in her eyes. Lucy didn't think she'd ever looked more beautiful.

The bed sagged slightly as Tali sat down next to her. Lucy turned to face the quarian, who was still quivering, as if unable to believe what she'd just done. With infinite tenderness, the Spectre took her lover's trembling hands in her own. Bringing them up to her lips, she placed a single kiss on each finger in turn.

"Thank you." It wasn't enough, but it was all she could think of to say. "Both of you, I...I don't know what I'd do without you."

Liara rested a hand on her leg.

"You will never have to find out."


	28. Chapter 28: The Real And The False

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 28 – The Real and the False**

It had taken a while, and more than a few tears, but at long last, Lucy could truly say she was free of the doubts which had plagued her every waking moment. As the warm spray of the shower soaked into every pore of her body, the Spectre reflected on the emotionally charged conversation they'd just had. She could still feel herself shaking and the knot her stomach had tied itself in was only just beginning to unwind.

_You certainly know how to pick your moments._ She thought, a smile playing across her lips. _Still, better to clear the air now, at the start, rather than drag ourselves through several days of awkwardness._

As she mused, the Spectre realised that the situation they'd been in reminded her of the building blocks she'd had as a child. Lucy remembered the first time she'd tried to put them back in the box. She'd piled them in all willy-nilly, not really paying attention to doing a proper job, and had then been surprised when the lid wouldn't close properly afterwards. After all, the bricks had all come out of that space, so why didn't they fit back in? It had taken her a few tries to realise that, if you were careless with arranging them, there would be gaps; spaces between the blocks which took up unnecessary room and meant they couldn't slot together properly. The only way to fix these holes once the bricks were in there was to give the box a big, strong shake which would force them to rearrange themselves into a solid, cohesive unit.

Well, her partners had certainly shaken her, both mentally and, in Tali's case, literally. The way they'd knocked some sense into her was nothing short of miraculous, not to mention long overdue. Although she had been far too preoccupied to notice at the time, the two of them seemed to have bonded already, if not yet in true friendship, then at the very least in mutual understanding. Lucy could feel her chest swelling with admiration again, and allowed her mind to wander into the world of fanciful daydreams. If Tali and Liara's relationship continued to grow, as she sincerely hoped it would, was it possible that they might end up...loving each other? How did she feel about that?

She didn't really need to ask that question. It would be unfair and morally wrong on so many levels, not to mention hypocritical, for her to do anything but approve wholeheartedly. In fact, it was probably the best outcome possible. That wasn't to say she would do anything to try and force them together; she would merely keep an eye on the situation and let fate take its course. There'd been nothing tangible so far, they were still in the early days of their relationship, and hey, a girl could dream, couldn't she? Lucy resolved to put it to the back of her mind for now; it was a complex issue, and best dealt with when the time came.

Instead, she turned her attention back to washing herself, realising that she'd probably been hogging the shower for longer than was necessary. It was difficult to keep track of time when you were being soothed by 20 different massaging jet-streams. She should have known that, like everything else in their apartment so far, the bathroom would be the pinnacle of luxury. The shower itself was more like a little antechamber, with individual nozzles covering every surface, including the walls and floor. Sensors automatically tracked both her movement and body temperature, in order to optimise the direction and heat level of the spray. The tiles, too, were mini versions of the same luminescent panels that lined the bedrooms, and changed colour to indicate how hot or cold the water was.

Of course, Lucy thought as she lathered some shampoo into her golden mane, there was another advantage to having spouts directly under her feet. If she angled herself just right, she could direct one stream so that it...almost...there!

_Oh my god!_

Throwing her head back, the Spectre chuckled contentedly. Well, she was feeling rather highly strung after all her outpouring earlier, and she _did_ want to be as relaxed as possible this evening.

Another giggle forced its way out of Lucy's throat, turning into a gasp part way through as she found the sweet spot. It looked like Liara's turn would have to wait a little bit longer.

* * *

"She's taking an awfully long time." Tali commented from her seat by the pool, "Do you think she's okay?"

Liara looked around from studying the fish tank, a feature she'd completely missed when she'd initially surveyed the room.

"There should be no need to worry. I expect she is just taking the opportunity to 'unwind'." The asari smiled, pleased that she'd used the human vernacular properly. Lucy had introduced her to a great many so called 'sayings'; it was sometimes difficult to keep track of all of them. Of course, all cultures had their own verbal idioms, even hers, but no other species possessed such a baffling array of seemingly meaningless statements. Liara found it quite charming, even if she wasn't usually very good at picking the appropriate one.

"You don't think she's angry with me do you?" Tali continued, "For being so, um, forceful with her. I-I didn't mean to lose it like that, it just sort of...happened."

Liara could sympathise with the quarian's nervousness. She'd always been prone to over-thinking her own actions, especially around the Spectre; worrying how Lucy might react if she said or did something wrong. In this case though, she could tell that Tali's fears were baseless; it was obvious that Lucy was grateful for what she had done. Well, it was obvious to her at least; she hadn't properly realised until now how much clearer matters became when viewed from an outside perspective.

"You did a good thing, Tali." She said, turning away from the aquatic display and padding over to where the quarian sat. "I'm sure Lucy appreciates it. She will not be upset with you."

"Of course...you're right, of course." Tali sighed, forcing herself to still her fidgeting hands, "I guess I tend to worry too much. I-It's difficult sometimes...not to think about losing her."

"You will not lose her." Liara said softly, opting to take the chair opposite the quarian. "She loves you very much. Even if she hadn't told me so, it's obvious from the way she acts around you. She cares a great deal about your happiness." Smiling, she added. "I doubt there is anything or anyone who could make her abandon you."

"You really think so?" Tali seemed willing to let herself be convinced by Liara's words. She was about to say more when the swooshing noise of a door opening behind them drew their attention.

"My god, that shower is incredible!" A flushed but beaming Lucy exited the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel around her torso and another one wrapped round her head. "Liara, you have to give it a go."

There was an awkward moment of silence as two sets of eyes traced the spectre's lean body, both expecting the other to cover for them and say something.

"I-I believe that is 'my line'." Liara blurted at last, missing Lucy's puzzled look as she fought the urge to stare. Her partner was showing considerably more skin than she'd seen before and it was surprisingly difficult to tear her eyes away. She was caught between wanting to ogle every bit of exposed flesh, and not wanting to appear rude. In the end, she settled for what she hoped were surreptitious, sideways glances.

_Goddess, just look at those legs; so creamy, so soft, and such an alien skin colour…_

Shaking her head, Liara could feel herself blushing. She wasn't used to thinking such impure thoughts. It also didn't help when she realised that, in her distraction, she'd got her colloquialism wrong.

"I-I mean 'my cue'." She corrected sheepishly, deciding that it was definitely time to retreat to the privacy of the shower. As she went, she couldn't resist one last glance back over her shoulder at Lucy's toned body. It was truly exquisite, moreso than any of the works of art arranged on the walls, and Liara found herself fervently hoping that she would get to see more. Judging by her body's reaction, it had better be sometime soon, or she was going to have difficulty walking straight.

* * *

Lucy watched the asari exit with an expression somewhere between amusement and fondness. She hadn't said anything, but Liara's 'inspection' of her had fallen somewhere short of subtle. Not that she minded in the slightest; if anything, she was completely flattered. Lucy had never considered herself to be a particularly beautiful woman, but right then, she had practically seen the waves of lust rolling off Liara's body. Still, she figured that the asari was probably embarrassed enough, without her making any kind of comment. She did love to see Liara blush, but sometimes there was a fine line between friendly teasing and genuinely humiliating someone. It was probably best to play it safe while they were all still a bit emotionally fragile.

Snapping her mind back to the present, Lucy realised that Tali was probably waiting for her to say something.

"I'm just going to go get dressed." The Spectre said, gesturing in the direction of the bedrooms. "I'll be right back."

Tali watched her partner go, unconsciously copying Liara's actions as her eyes were drawn to Lucy's swaying hips. Unlike the asari, she'd had some first-hand experience of what was hidden beneath the fluffy fabric of Shepard's towel, and it certainly wasn't an image she'd forget in a hurry. In fact, now that she'd pictured it in her minds' eye, the quarian was having a hard time thinking about anything else.

It was strange really. If anyone had told her a year ago that she'd be attracted to someone of the same gender, much less someone from an entirely different species, she probably would have called them crazy. Not that she'd given those sorts of things much thought in the past. Growing up, a quarian's shipmates were like their family; it would be weird to develop feelings for any of them, and ultimately pointless, as you transferred to a different vessel after your pilgrimage. Relationships with anyone outside of the Flotilla were rare though, and as far as she was aware, she must be one of the first quarians ever to explore those waters with a human. No doubt she would be teased about it back home if anyone ever found out, but she preferred to think of it as a testament to their love for each other as individuals. The fact that they could discover something so precious, despite all the cultural and biological barriers in their way was surely a sign that love really did conquer all.

Perhaps she was being overly romantic. What she did know was that she thought Lucy was the most beautiful person she had ever met. Sure, she might have strange, stunted ankles, and a complexion that would make even the darkest skinned quarians stare in disbelief, were she one of them, but that didn't matter. It just added to her alien appeal.

_I guess I'm officially a xenophile._ Tali mused, images of her and Lucy's first night together fluttering through her mind and bringing a smile to her lips. It was perhaps unsurprising that she didn't mind one bit.

* * *

It was a night no sane person would willingly choose to venture out in. The thunderstorms of Galdir were as notorious for their ferocious intensity as they were for their incredible beauty. Safe behind flood-proof walls, couples of all races would be snuggling down on their sofas, watching the jagged arcs of lightning split the sky the like cracks in the skin of reality itself, and discussing how the dancing light so perfectly complimented their loved one's eyes. Alone in the dark, however, one figure defied the awesome forces of nature with his very presence. Rain lashed him from all directions, although if one were somehow to get close enough, they would see that the tailcoat and top-hat he wore remained bone dry.

From his perch atop the stone-clad ornamental wall, the Shadow Broker surveyed the domicile before him with an unblinking gaze. Most of his subroutines were devoted to analyzing every possible point of entry and egress, as well as any other variables which might affect his approach. With the remaining few, he pulled up all the information he had on its owner. The residence belonged to one Xerin Plinith, an asari diplomat and long-time agent of his: a fact only a few high-ranking government officials and members of his organization were privy to. Ordinarily he would not trouble himself with her affairs, 'trusting' her, as much as he trusted any organic, to perform her duties satisfactorily. It seemed, however, that she had taken his ongoing silence as a sign of weakness; perhaps even a sign of cowardice. Whatever her particular delusion, it was clear that she thought a band of petty mercenaries would be sufficient to dispatch him and enable her to inherit the information empire. It had been a simple enough matter to trace the transactions into Barla Von's account, once C-Sec's virtual cordon had been taken down.

Although her recent actions were short-sighted and foolish, the Shadow Broker knew not to underestimate Xerin. For all her flaws, she could be quite persuasive, and knowing the failings of organics, any agent he sent to eliminate her may well be seduced by a counter-offer. After all, people's common sense tended to shut down when their palms were greased with a well-loaded credit chit, a fact to which his erstwhile volus banker could testify. They even tended to forget just how long his reach was, and how swiftly he could tighten his grasp at the first signs of insurrection. No, he could not entrust this task to anyone else and expect a one hundred percent success probability. He had killed Barla, he had killed the consort, and now, he would have to kill Xerin. It had been a long time since he'd had to get his hands this dirty.

What the asari wasn't aware of was that, for every data source he had monitoring the public, he had three monitoring those who worked for him. In this case, the points of data which interested him the most were the readings taken from the bio scanners in her mansion; devices designed to monitor all aspects of her health and set the lighting, temperature and ambient music accordingly, as well as alerting the authorities if she was injured. The Shadow Broker correlated these readings with Xerin's recorded movements about her house, captured in perfect clarity on a multitude of security monitors. The very devices designed to keep her safe now served as his most valuable resource.

As he had anticipated, Xerin's core temperature and heart rate rose dramatically in the presence of her maid; another asari by the name of Sira. So, it seemed his little diplomat had a crush on one of her employees. The signs were all symptomatic of sexual arousal; he had seen them countless times before. He hadn't become the most influential information trader in the known galaxy without following the sexual activities of anybody important. It was almost laughable how much significance organics attached to their procreation rituals. It was also exceedingly lucrative.

In this case, it was clear how to best use this hormonal response to his advantage. Silently, the Shadow Broker melted into the stormy night. Even the keenest-eyed security guard would not have noticed a single blade of grass out of place, and in less than ten seconds, the synthetic was at the entrance to the servant's quarters, a weak link in the compound's security net. The primitive keypad locking mechanism might as well not have existed; he was through the door and inside in a heartbeat. Heat signatures from the first room on the right led him straight to his secondary target, sleeping peacefully on a small, single bed.

All cultures have images they associate with death. Every society's idea of its form is different, but there were several common threads that permeated all mythologies, from the primitive tribes of pre-historic earth, to the new-age batarian fringe cults. He had observed that again and again, the same icon appeared: a figure in black, soulless and unrelenting who did not distinguish between the rich and the poor, or the good and the wicked. The Shadow Broker idly wondered what image of death Sira believed him to be as she awoke to a cold, steely hand clamped over her mouth.

"Scream, and I will remove your capacity for doing so permanently." He could feel the sweat on her brow and see the fear in her eyes as she tried to process what was happening. She would be unable to defy him even if she wished to. That was good; the synthetic needed to remove his hand for the coming procedure.

"P-Please!" She was crying now; how predictable. "Please, I have a child. Oh Goddess, d-don't kill me; she's only four..."

"You will be comforted to know that I have already considered that fact. An agent has been assigned to take care of your loose ends. She will be a useful tool in the coming conflict, once we have re-educated her." The Shadow Broker watched the horror slowly spread across Sira's face as his words sunk in. He spared her the indignity of begging on her offspring's behalf with a swift jab to the head. The hollow-tipped spike punctured her cranium, piercing deep into the brain tissue beneath. Sira opened her mouth, but nothing but a wet gurgle came out as the spark of life dimmed in her eyes. She was dead before her corpse had crumpled to the floor; all that she once was now filed away with the countless other lives ended in such a manner.

The Shadow Broker wiped her blood from his hands with practiced ease, assimilating the new genetic identity into his system. There was little time to lose. Motes of light began to dance around his body, obscuring his inorganic features and replacing them with an exact likeness of the dead housemaid. He smiled to himself, taking the time while he transformed to review the security footage of Sira's mannerisms, her gait; everything he would require to flawlessly imitate her. Although he was, strictly speaking, genderless, the template he had been constructed around was more akin to the males of most species; certain alterations would have to be made. The Shadow Broker adjusted the servos in his legs, lightening his step and factoring in the increased hip movement present in Sira's stride.

He also took the opportunity to subtly enhance Sira's attractiveness. The differences would not be noticeable, even to someone who knew her well; instead, they would work on a subconscious level, increasing his chances of success by 0.04%. The return was miniscule but worthwhile considering that it required no additional expenditure on his part. All it would take was a few minute tweaks towards what were widely considered the asari ideals of feminine beauty: a small increase to the plumpness of the lips and breasts, a fractional narrowing of the waist and lastly, an elongation of the head crests. Statistically, these were the modifications considered most appealing. There was no accounting for taste however, and it was possible that Xerin would simply fail to register them at all. Perhaps when he next had some processes free, he would perform a more thorough analysis of the current trends in attractive body types.

Satisfied with the end result, the Shadow Broker stepped over Sira's cooling carcass and entered the main part of the house. Although it was large, Xerin employed few staff; the only full-time resident apart from her and the ex-servant was an aging Turian security officer, currently tucked away from the storm in his gatehouse. With only the live feeds to keep him informed, he would be oblivious to any intrusion until it was far too late. Xerin also foolishly valued the privacy of those living there over their safety and had not had cameras installed in the bedrooms. It was an oversight she would not live to remedy.

The Shadow Broker quickly made his way to the master bedroom, appearing to be nothing more than a maid answering the call of her mistress. He had catalogued Xerin's daily routines, and knew that at the exact moment he entered her chambers, she would be stepping out of the shower in her en-suite. Sure enough, as he approached the doorway to the bedroom, his audio receptors were able to detect the sound of running water, combined with the varying reflective echoes as it collided with the tiled floor and soft, organic flesh. It ceased flowing as he was turning the door knob, dying away to a few lingering drips. His data analysis subroutines automatically compensated for the muffling effect of partition walls, allowing him to ascertain from the intensity and direction of the splashes the exact location of each individual water drop as it fell.

There were only a few seconds remaining to ready himself, but it was easily enough. As soon as he was inside and out of camera range, he modified the hologram version of Sira, removing all her clothes. Xerin tended to keep a personal alarm system to hand, even when at home. It would prove to be problematic if she were able to set it off. He had to be able to get close to her; close enough that she wouldn't have time to react until it was too late. Exploiting her sexual attraction to Sira seemed to be easiest option available.

Xerin exited her bathroom, pulling on the top half of her nightdress. The Shadow Broker surmised that she would be considered quite beautiful by most organics, a fact which had no doubt aided her talent for extracting information for clients, or sometimes, from clients. Undoubtedly, there were many individuals who would give an awful lot to be in his position. It was therefore ironic, perhaps, that the only thing he saw when he looked at her semi-naked body was an analysis of which areas he could strike or sever for maximum lethality.

"Sira!?" Xerin gasped, stopping dead in her tracks, "I-I didn't call for you…why are you…what?"

At this range the asari diplomat was close enough for him to monitor her bodily functions directly. He noted the surge of blood to erectile tissue and the increased release of lubricating fluids as evidence that his theory had been correct. A more direct chemical analysis would have been preferable, but was impossible without a blood sample. One could be extracted when he was finished with her, but by that point it would make little difference.

"Mistress." If his rendition of Sira's voice lacked a small amount of emotional inflection, Xerin was too startled to notice, "I-I have been thinking about you a lot recently. I have seen the way you look at me when you think no one is watching. I know that you…desire me." He took a step forward. Xerin didn't retreat. "I-I desire you as well. Every night I dream about touching your body. It has become unbearable, knowing that we might both feel the same, and yet hesitancy would keep us apart. The time has come for us to do away with pretence."

Xerin looked at him with wide eyes and dilated pupils. Although she had yet to speak, her body betrayed her arousal. Like anything else, seduction could be reduced to a set of algorithms which, if executed correctly, would yield the same result each time. Organics lacked the capacity to fully process the many variables involved, which explained their constant failed attempts to woo each other. He, however, did not suffer from the same limitations. It was likely that he could adopt any disguise, and successfully convince an individual to copulate with him, regardless of species or gender.

"Oh Sira…" Xerin took a tentative step forward. "How did you know? It's always been you…ever since the day you moved in. I've wanted this so badly, but I guess I was worried…about what people might think. Stupid, I know; you deserved better. But then your partner died and I…"

"Hush mistress, I am here for you now. Will you…kiss me?"

Xerin closed the distance between them in a second, but the Shadow Broker had already anticipated her approach. The asari's arms reached for his face, no doubt to attempt to engage in that bizarre exchange of bacteria through oral contact which most sentient organic species practiced. In this vulnerable position, there was nothing she could do to stop his attack. Sira's left hand faded away, revealing a metallic claw with an unsheathed blade protruding from the back of its wrist. His first priority was to ensure Xerin couldn't trigger her alarm. This was achieved easily enough with a lightning fast upwards slash. The super-focused plasma along the blade's edge cleaved through the asari's arms as easily is it cleaved through air, severing them both at the elbow.

Before Xerin's mind could even process the fact the she was now missing two limbs, the Shadow Broker moved on to objective two; ensure no vocal alarm could be raised. Rotating his joints in a way which would be impossible for any organic being to emulate, he brought the blade back down, opening Xerin's larynx and severing her vocal cords. With her ability to compromise his position pretty much neutralized, all that remained was to finish her off completely. His right hand was already prepared with the same needle which had taken her housemaid's life not two minutes previously. The razor-sharp spike entered the asari's skull through her eye-socket, causing near-instant brain death. It wasn't a mercy he usually granted, but in this instance he couldn't afford to risk anything slower.

He waited for Xerin's death rattles to die down before letting her body to slide off his finger. From here, it was a standard cover-up operation. Opening the valve in his palm, the Shadow Broker allowed plasma-fire to immolate his agent's corpse and spread to the rest of the room. It acted faster than ordinary flames, and was fierce enough to resist the downpour outside. In less than a few minutes, nothing would remain of Xerin, Sira, or the house they once lived in. Discarding his disguise, the synthetic disappeared through the window and into the storm-struck night.

"This is the Shadow Broker. Inform the Shadowthrone to prepare for my arrival and make a note in the archive. Agent 13, assignment status: terminated."


	29. Chapter 29: Parallel Lives

**Author's notes:**

Well people, hasn't it been a while, eh? Still, there's a reason this story isn't listed as 'incomplete' or 'dropped'.

I have some big plans ahead. Expect several chapters in relatively rapid succession (I have in fact nearly finished the chapter after this as well). I am also planning to do an overhaul of the entire story. That's right, I'm going to go back and adjust, fiddle with, and generally polish some of the earlier chapters. This story has been going for so long, and has evolved in ways I could not possibly have predicted at the start. My aim is to make the overall narrative more consistent, in style, pacing and plot. This means small tweaks to existing scenes, dialogue, and in some cases changing certain events entirely.

I do not intend to re-write any important plot points. Although, given the current stage the story is at, there are things I would do differently given the chance, I feel it is unfair to readers to make any large changes. Besides, I am for the most part satisfied with the basic structure. I just want to touch it up here and there to truly make it shine.

So, expect updates to existing chapters. I will post a change-log as I go detailing any actual changes to established events that are important to the overall story. I will try to keep such changes to a minimum to avoid confusion.

So, with all that said, please enjoy this chapter and the ones that are to come. As always, I welcome any and all reviews, and urge you to post one, regardless of whether your feedback is positive or negative in nature. I eat them all up :)

* * *

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 29 – Parallel Lives**

"Magistrate, the Harvest nears. There are those among us who have begun to question your expediency."

"Is that so? I'd have thought after millennia of waiting, they could afford to be a little more patient."

The Shadow Broker clamped another cigar between his skeletal teeth, watching the tip burst into flame. Smoke rising from the ashes mingled with the hologram projected into the centre of the room. Before him the multi-limbed form of Harbinger hung suspended like a mighty leviathan of old Earth legend. He did not bother to smile; only organics responded to such a gesture.

"Perhaps the other old ones should have a little faith."

"Faith is irrelevant." Harbinger's voice was monotone, yet the information dealer could tell that it was angry. "You are either capable or incapable of fulfilling your function. Prove your worth and bring us this 'Shepard'."

"Try not to be so limited. That's why you made me in the first place is it not?" The Shadow Broker rose from his seat. "It is not as simple as you think. These creatures are like insects. They are insignificant yet tenacious; not individually but as a species. All it takes is for a few to remain and our great work could be undone. Sovereign knew of this, as did the Protheans, and that is why he fell for their trap."

"Sovereign's corruption by the thrall's infection is only a minor delay." Harbinger's ghostly form revolved slowly in place, tracking the Shadow Broker as he paced slow circles around it. "When the time comes, you will deal with it."

"I will. For now, Shepard believes it to be the enemy; a viewpoint not helped by that Saren puppet it keeps displaying. I do not believe it even realises it is infected."

"Belief is an organic system Magistrate. I deal in facts, as should you. We have no use for your speculations."

"Of course. I was merely hypothesising based on the limited data available. Sovereign has not been seen since the attack on Eden Prime, and even my sources cannot track it down. Whatever its intentions, we must prepare for the worst."

"That is why you must bring us Shepard. It's genetic markers must be sampled and analyzed. Once that is complete, you will receive the necessary modifications. We will not allow the dying curse of a dead race to stop the Harvest."

"I am well aware. You will have your corpse Harbinger, but I need more time. It will not work if I simply force its obedience. Shepard is unusually resistant to the indoctrination process, yet I have isolated some weaknesses that I can exploit. Its mind will snap, it will not be long."

Harbinger shifted slightly, deep in thought as the Magistrate's words threaded their way through its vast internal matrix. Billions upon billions of individual processes, all subjugated towards one goal. The Shadow Broker simply waited. For all their power, the old machines were less adept when it came to the devisal of new ideas. Time and a faultless list of past successes had led to them becoming...arrogant. No, arrogance was an organic failing. It would be more apt to say they had simply found a formula which worked and were unwilling to consider alternatives. However, events of the previous cycle had shown the potential dangers of complacency. That is why he had been forged; a Reaper who could walk amongst their flock without arousing suspicion and who could understand and manipulate the organics' systems from within. Indoctrinated agents were useful, but suffered the same restrictions as their non-brainwashed counterparts; and their feeble minds could not contain the presence of greatness for long.

"Very well, Magistrate. This exchange is terminated, but we caution you. You are beginning to sound like one of them. Do not allow yourself to become corrupted as Sovereign did. Organic emotion is a contemptible weakness."

Harbinger's ghostly presence faded away into nothingness, leaving the Shadow Broker alone with his thoughts. It was true that he had been designed to accurately emulate organics and as such, had access to a wider variety of their traits than others of his kind. That was all they were though; a tool, nothing more. Any satisfaction he experienced was simply approval of an efficient and logical undertaking.

"Corrupted? Emotion?" He muttered to himself, pausing to stub out his cigar and adjust his top-hat to a more favourable position. "As if the bleating of a lamb can affect the shepherd."

* * *

"Oh wow, look at this one!" Tali exclaimed, drawing the bolt of cloth out of its tube to inspect it more closely. "Look Lucy, can you see how the pattern catches the light? It's beautiful."

The spectre smiled fondly. They had been shopping for an hour now and the young quarian's enthusiasm still wasn't diminished. The primary purpose of them visiting the clothes store was to find Liara some more suitable casual attire, but even Shepard had to admit it was easy to get distracted. Befitting its proximity to the Presidium and the Ward's wealthiest district, 'Torix and Sons Fashion for the Discerning Gentleman, Lady and Androgyny' was not what anyone would call a budget establishment; a fact which was reflected in the incredible fabrics they stocked from all across Citadel space. There were asari silks, human cashmere and even traditional quarian moththread from before the geth war - a sample of which was held in Tali's hands right now.

The young engineer approached one of the turian sales clerks, apparently undaunted by his look of mild surprise. Being an establishment for the wealthy, it was perhaps unlikely that he had ever seen a quarian in there before. Still, it was better than the treatment they'd received in several other stores. The first one they'd visited had almost denied Tali entry, stating that they didn't want to 'lower their class of customer'. It had taken Lucy's pulling of spectre status to allow them to go in, but by that point she was so furious that she was determined the store wouldn't receive one credit of her money.

"How much for two metres of this one?" Tali asked.

"Well Madam, this is a pre-exile piece from Rannoch itself, which is regrettably not producing fabrics anymore. All that remains is what we have in stock. Well, all that remains outside the hands of private collectors that is. Still for a native such as yourself I think we could maybe do a slight discount. I'd have to ring it up, but off the top of my head, it would be about 1,400,000 credits per square meter."

Tali looked despondently at the sample of cloth she was holding.

"Oh...never mind then."

"If you're interested Madam," The turian added, perhaps seeking a sale or maybe just not wanting other patrons to see an upset customer. "We have some more...affordable options in the same style but with different thread. Check the section over there."

"Alright, thank you." Tali handed him the moththread material with great care and reverence, looking at it one last time before slinking away behind a partition wall towards the budget section. Lucy's heart went out to the young quarian; precious few artefacts from the time before the war were left outside of the Flotilla. It would be nice for Tali to have something that reminded her of home. Surreptitiously, the spectre brought up her omni-tool and opened the app that tied into her bank account. She didn't like checking it too often; every time she did, the vast sum made her feel a little bit faint. It wouldn't do to be distracted from the mission with thoughts of just how rich she had become. Still, at times like this, it was definitely a blessing.

Peeking around to make sure Tali, and to a lesser extent Liara, who was not known for being the best at keeping secrets, were not looking her way, she sidled over to the assistant.

"Say, how long have you worked here?"

"Five years Madam," The turian replied proudly, his spine straightening in the way all turians did when they got to list their accomplishments, "Torix was my great grandfather. He passed down his exceptional gifts with a needle through four generations. My father has been teaching me the craft; in two more years, I'll get promoted to tailor."

"Wow. So I guess you must have a lot of practice at judging people's measurements by eye."

"I haven't had to hold a ruler tool in three years Madam."

"Very impressive." Lucy smiled. She had intended to flatter the young man a bit in the hopes of getting him to help her, but she found that she was genuinely impressed. "I'd like to see that talent in action. I know, maybe you can tell me the measurements of my quarian's friend's hood over there."

"I can indeed Madam, although if I might be so bold, it is a tad on the small side for her. I'd take the edges out by about ten deciunits if it were me."

"I see. So how much material would be needed to make one that fits her properly?"

"My best guess would be 1.6 square metres. You need a bit of leeway to do the embroidery around the edges."

Lucy picked up the cloth Tali had left on the counter.

"I'll take the entire bolt. There's no saying how much patching up it will have to go through."

The turian's eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

"Very good Madam, and when will you need that ready by?"

"This evening if possible."

"I'm afraid our tailors don't work that late Madam. I can have it ready by 11.00 tomorrow local time if that suits you." Sidling over to the till, he tapped in some numbers. "That will be 8,000,000 credits. Can I take your name, please?"

"Lucy Shepard, Council Spectre"

"I-I apologise Madam Shepard. I meant to say 6,000,000 credits. We'll have it ready for you in four hours."

"Excellent. In that case, I'll be back to collect it then." Lucy beamed before setting off to find Liara.

"Very good Madam Shepard." The turian said to her retreating form. "Very good indeed."

* * *

"So, found anything you like yet?"

"I am unsure." Liara replied, her gaze tracing the contours of a dress which clung to its mannequin like a second skin. "I do not have much experience with styles. I usually choose my clothing based on practicality. Some of these are nice, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with something so...form-fitting."

"Looking for something a little more demure maybe?" Lucy nodded. "I understand. I've never been big on outfits which show more skin than fabric. It's like everyone needs to constantly push the boundaries of public decency." She smirked. "Not that I'd mind terribly seeing something like that on you."

"I-uh-I see. Well...I-I guess if you want I can maybe..."

"Relax Liara, I was just kidding. You choose whatever you want. Besides, if it was just you and me, I'd say clothing's optional at best."

The asari gulped at the prospect, subconsciously fidgeting with the collar of her lab coat. It was always difficult to tell when Lucy was teasing her and when she was being serious. The spectre was playful to put it lightly and now that they had engaged in a relationship, she found that she was getting a crash course in flirtatious behaviour. It was all still so new; they'd been together for less than 24 hours. It still felt unreal in many ways; there was an almost dream-like quality to their interactions as if Liara was experiencing them but not an active participant in what she did or said. Perhaps it was a good thing...if she thought about it too hard, it would probably terrify her.

In all her time with Lucy before now, she'd feared rejection and heartbreak. Now that her dreams had become a reality however, she found it no less nerve-wracking. In some ways it was scarier; after all, she'd never seriously considered what would happen if Lucy returned her love. Fear of the unknown was a trait shared by most sentient species, and for Liara she couldn't think of anything more 'unknown' than this.

Lucy picked up on the slight crinkle of the asari's brow; a sign that she was thinking intensely.

"You okay? I lost you there for a second."

"I-I'm fine." Liara smiled. It wasn't forced; it never was when Lucy was around, but she still felt sort of...restless. She felt like she'd been asked to play a game but no one had thought to explain the rules to her. Of course, her extranet research had yielded some useful pieces of data (and some less useful pieces, too, she thought, blushing slightly at the memory), but they were too general. This was a personal situation, and it occurred to her that really, there was only one person who could answer these questions with any accuracy.

_I guess there is no sense in delaying the inevitable._ She thought to herself, swallowing again to moisten her rather dry throat.

"Actually, L-Lucy, there was something..." Shepard looked alarmed. Damn, that had been a bad way of phrasing it. "N-Nothing important...really...I mean, it can wait."

"Hey, if something's bothering you, you don't have to hide it." Lucy placed a hand on Liara's shoulder. "Better to share it. I believe you and Tali taught me that."

Her words brought another smile to Liara's face. She remembered how scared she'd been when she sat Lucy down with Tali for their little 'talk'. Still, that had turned out okay. Better than okay in fact; it had felt so good to be open with each other and honest about their feelings. It gave her confidence that what she wanted to say to Shepard would also be acceptable.

"You're right...of course, you're right." Liara met her love's worried gaze. Actually, it probably should wait. She was afraid, and she wanted to tell Lucy that, but she didn't want to risk spoiling the fun they'd been having together so far. Besides, this was a public shopping venue; not the best place to have a personal conversation. "I-It's just a little thing, but it can wait, honestly. Can we talk later...this evening maybe?"

"Sure thing, darling. I'm here whenever you need me."

"Thank you Lucy." Liara could feel her heart fluttering. "I-It means a lot to me when you say that. But, I'm fine. Let's make the most of our time together here. I believe you promised to help me pick an outfit."

To her relief, Lucy let it go without protest. It was just one of the endless things she found to love about the spectre. She always knew exactly what the asari needed, sometimes even better than she did.

"I did make that promise, and I intend to fulfil it. So, we want dresses a bit more on the modest side, eh? I think I saw some nice ones over where Tali is." Lucy took her by the hand, pausing only to place a kiss on her cheek. "Come on, let's check them out."

In a daze, Liara followed. Goddess, no matter what else, she didn't think she'd ever get used to feeling her soul-mate's lips on her skin.

* * *

An hour later, the three of them stepped out of the store and into the perpetual semi-twilight which illuminated the Wards. While the Presidium operated a token day-night cycle, the Wards dispensed with the notion altogether. It was dark enough to sleep and light enough to work; and there was always work going on. With so many individuals from different planets, all coming and going at irregular intervals, trying to coordinate people's sleeping patterns was simply impossible. As such, most establishments were constantly open.

Shepard had managed to subtly steer Tali away from buying a new hood and fortunately the quarian had found some nice belts to replace a few on her suit which were beginning to go. Having all found something they liked, the trio resolved to return to the apartment before heading out again for dinner. It would also give Lucy and Liara a chance to change into their newly acquired evening wear.

Being unsure of their surroundings, they'd gotten a taxi to the shopping precinct earlier; but it actually turned out to be no more than a stone's throw from where they were staying; easy walking distance.

Lucy cantered along at a leisurely pace, enjoying the evening air. Of course, it wasn't real evening and it technically wasn't real air, not like a true atmosphere. Still, it was nice to pretend. She was also trying to surreptitiously act as a sort of conversation-monitor. The three of them were getting used to making small talk amongst themselves by now, but Lucy made a point of steering the topics in a direction where both Tali and Liara could contribute. She of course loved and listened to whatever they had to say; be it the Prothean hierarchical structure or the mechanics of an eezo fuel injector, but at this early stage she wanted to ensure that the two other women also found common ground with each other. It wasn't too difficult, what with Liara's science and Tali's engineering backgrounds; they had quite a large overlap to work with.

"Do you remember those old K-2 models?" The asari was saying. "They seemed quite popular when they were first released. In fact, our archaeology team used one on a ruin expedition in my seventh year."

"Keelah, that must have given you problems."

"Indeed. We were no more than three days in, and had just finished charting the first four antechambers when our entire grid failed on us. Turns out there was a bug in the program that meant it was incompatible with our soil sampler. Not only did we lose all our data, we were forced to abandon the trip entirely as replacement equipment couldn't be shipped in before the monsoon season flooded the temple."

"At least your ship wasn't using it to control navigation." Tali chuckled. "I remember, we picked one up in a bargain bin at an Omega tech supplier. I couldn't understand why it was so cheap, and the owner 'assured' me it lived up to its supposed specs. Anyway, to cut a long story short, we installed it, and our ship ended up with a thirty degree starboard list. We nearly collided with our escort before we realised where the problem was coming from."

The chatter continued in that vein, with Lucy interjecting every now and then, until they once again arrived in the courtyard outside their complex. It was still a novel experience; passing between the immaculate rows of scintillating fountains and intricate topiary. Verdant blooms of all shapes and colours imaginable fought to be the centre of attention, arranged in elaborate displays or clinging to the leafy form of an asari maiden, sculpted from the hedgerow like it were marble and not a living plant. The architecture, too, seemed to be a natural part of this organic tableau. Supporting pillars rose curvaceously from the ground, blending seamlessly into the glittering skyscrapers overhead until it was impossible to tell where aesthetics stopped and utility began. It mirrored the luxury of the rooms within and achieved a strange, conflicting impression of decadence whilst still remaining minimalistic.

_It's not fair._ Lucy thought. _Why did the Reapers have to come now. I could spend a lifetime in this place._

Then again, were it not for the Reaper threat, she would never have earned the money to come here or found the wonderful women to share it with. Perhaps it really was true that every cloud had a silver lining. And the darker the cloud, the brighter it shined.

* * *

Liara was flustered, and for once, Commander Shepard was not the cause. Well, at least not directly.

_I'm a scientist and a grown maiden. _She repeated sternly to herself. _I must be able to figure this out._

For the tenth time in as many minutes, she tried to ascertain the mechanics of the many-layered garment she'd recently purchased. The outfit had seemed simple enough, yet that plain facade had apparently hidden a fiendish interior. It reminded her of some of the ancient fables from medieval Thessia. Back then, valiant knights had to be helped into their armour by their attending squire. She'd always found the idea a bit laughable. After all, how could someone not be able to put their own clothes on? It seemed, however, that she would be forced to eat those ill-conceived words.

"Why couldn't they have just designed it with a zipper, or buttons?" She muttered to herself, rotating the dress in front of her in a fruitless attempt to find an entry point. It had looked so elegant and simple on the mannequin. Goddess, what would Shepard, or for that matter, any rational being think if they could see her now?

Of course, Lucy could no doubt help. When it came to dresses, even the usually trouser and t-shirt clad Spectre had more experience than her. She found herself extremely reluctant to ask however, and it all boiled down to the fact that above all else, she feared disappointing her soul mate. It was irrational, a fact she was well aware of on a conscious level; how many times had Lucy said that she didn't hold any expectations of what Liara did and didn't know? Like a fear of the dark however, merely knowing that there was no reason to be scared did little to comfort her. There was so much essential knowledge that she was simply lacking. She wondered how Tali managed; it was the quarian's first relationship as well, yet she seemed to be able to cope just fine.

Liara's line of thought continued as she attempted to turn the dress inside out in the hope of finding something useful inside. What did a girlfriend do exactly? She knew that she loved Lucy, more deeply and more passionately than she had ever loved anything before, but how did she express that? Through physical affection? That seemed like a good bet, but what types of affection? And how much? And when was it acceptable? She didn't feel like she knew enough on the subject to answer any of her questions satisfactorily. What about even more intimate acts of love? And what about Union? The thoughts of that and what it entailed were enough to make her quite weak in the knees. Perhaps she should start somewhere a bit further down the chain, like kissing or cuddling.

_Or maybe even just holding hands,_ she thought glumly.

The only person other than Lucy who may be able to help her right now was Tali. The quarian had been with the Spectre longer than she had, both as a shipmate and as a lover. However, Liara wasn't sure whether their relationship had yet reached the stage where they could comfortably discuss such things. She had the feeling her inquires were likely to become quite...detailed. After all, if there was one thing she took pride in, it was her insatiable thirst for knowledge.

Still, Liara liked Tali. There were things about the quarian that reminded her of Shepard, and even things which reminded her of herself. It was odd then, that based off her readings on the subject, she'd understood that the assumption was that she'd hate her. Perhaps here, her inexperience and lack of exposure to the complexities of attraction were actually a benefit. She'd been firstly too heartbroken, and then too confused for it to occur to her at any to dislike Lucy's partner. In the end, she'd chosen to trust her instincts over perceived societal norms, and it had paid off. Tali was energetic to the point of effervescence and generally a delight to talk to. Liara had also been pleasantly surprised at how much the engineer had known about the natural sciences. She'd been worried initially that they might not have much to talk about, and was glad to be proven wrong.

_By the Goddess, Ashira and Omissa, who designed this infernal torture device?_

There was nothing more Liara could think to do with the dress that wouldn't risk breaking it. Huffing with frustration, she sat down on the bed and began the process of turning it back the right way out again.

_Defeated by a piece of clothing. How undignified._

It looked like she would have to ask Lucy for assistance after all. There was no real getting around it, unless she was willing to go to dinner naked.

_Perhaps it's for the best._ She thought, trying to look on the bright side. She'd wanted to have a discussion with the Spectre anyway, and at least now she was unable to talk herself out of it.

Quickly, not wanting to test whether she actually _could_ convince herself it was a bad idea, Liara got to her feet, laying the dress out on the bed and smoothing away the worst of the wrinkles. There was no need for Lucy to see just how fruitless her attempts had been. When she was quite content that it looked presentable again, and had double, then triple checked in what she was forced to admit was nothing more than a stalling tactic, she headed for the door.

_Here goes nothing._

In the corridor, she could hear Tali humming from the next room along. Liara didn't recognise the tune, she guessed it was probably quarian in origin, but it did serve to lift her spirits. It was impossible not to be infected with some of the young girl's cheerfulness.

Approaching Lucy's door, Liara could see that it was unlocked. She was about to step through when she realised that Lucy may well be in the middle of getting changed herself. The thought was not without appeal, but she decided that perhaps signalling her arrival might be more prudent than just striding in.

She jabbed the buzzer. No turning back now.

"It's open."

_Come on; deep, steadying breaths._

"Lucy?" With a faint pneumatic hiss, Liara was admitted access. She stepped across the threshold...and was greeted by a sight which almost blew her right back out again.

Shepard was...no, no, people couldn't have even conceived of such an image when they invented language to describe the world around them. How _could_ anyone expect mere words to shoulder such an immense burden as describing how Lucy Shepard appeared to her at that moment? It was unfair, utterly unfair. No one person should be able to obsolete the entire field of linguistics simply by existing. Then again, Liara would never have thought that any one person could leave her drooling like an idiot either.

"Does it look okay?" Lucy enquired innocently, seemingly unaware of the existential crisis she'd sparked in Liara's head. "I've never really had the figure for dresses, but I think I can just about pull it off."

_Okay? Okay?! How can she not realise what a vision she is?_

In the deepest recesses of her memory, somewhere amongst week-old dreams and half-remembered childhood years, Liara recalled hearing about a primitive tribe from a long extinct pre-industrial species who had over nine hundred words for beauty. Perhaps their dead language could begin to do her lover justice, but certainly not the crude syllables she knew. Any phrase she could think of withered and died before it could even reach her lips; it was like trying to sculpt glass flowers by wielding a sledgehammer.

"Uh..." Liara tried, she really did, but it looked like words were definitely out of the question.

"What's the matter?" The smile on Lucy's face faltered. "Is purple not my colour?"

Liara had to make her understand...and there was only one way she knew to achieve that. The decision to act came suddenly and without hesitation; quite unlike her usual self. Lucy did things to her that she still couldn't explain, and one of those things was give her the will to seize the initiative. She had to _show_ Shepard. Perhaps if Lucy could feel even a fraction of the admiration and sheer desire that surged through Liara's veins right now...

It wouldn't be Union; not by a long shot. Liara was still unprepared for such an intimate act, and at that moment, she almost felt unworthy too. No, it would be more like the brief joining they'd done after Therum; between soul-mates, it would be more than enough for Lucy to feel how she felt. Last time she'd been guarded, fearful of the emotions which were begging to stir within her and how Shepard might react if she found out. This time though, she'd gladly bare her soul to the woman she loved.

The space between them disappeared, and Liara had just a moment to take in Lucy's startled eyes, before her's shifted to pitch black. From a throat choked with emotion, two words struggled free.

"Embrace eternity."

* * *

Lucy had forgotten.

How?

How could she forget?

The world swam in a dizzying miasma of pain and delirium. She was dimly aware of being on board the Normandy, yet the ship appeared deserted. The walls weren't right either; they were...damaged, quite badly, as if something had torn through them. And why couldn't she move her hands and feet?

"Ah, welcome back Shepard." Oh god, that voice. That infernal, hellish, nightmarish voice. How had she forgotten that? "So glad you could join me again. What is this, an afternoon nap? Never mind, let's begin."

A cold, unyielding claw smashed into her gut. Yes...yes, it was all starting to come back, just like it did every time. The fists came first; that was fine, this was the part she could deal with.

Her body shook as another blow struck, painting another blue mark on the canvas of bruises across her torso.

"You may wonder why I bother." The Shadow Broker said, striking again, this time hard enough to crack a rib. "After all, you're a soldier. Torture is something you're trained to endure."

Another blow. Lucy forced herself to keep count. That was four so far.

"I have no doubt you could withstand even the most creative of extraction methods." The synthetic continued, pausing briefly to look Lucy in the eye. Despite the fact she could barely register his features in her pain-addled mind, she didn't back down. This metal freak's face was something she'd long since become accustomed to. "But you see, every body has limits, even one as conditioned as yours. A good torturer knows that you can only push someone so far before they fall unconscious or even worse, die. Once that happens, it doesn't matter what you do."

_Five. Six._ Lucy stifled a moan of pain.

"But in here you see, there are no limits. You can't pass out, you can't die, you can't even retreat to your happy place. Look around. This is your happy place. It's mine now."

_Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten._ Lucy felt two more ribs go.

"In here, you can endure anything; anything I can think of, and believe me, I have a lot of inspiration to work with."

The Shadow Broker reached into his breast pocket, withdrawing a long cigar with a flourish, like a magician revealing his chain of handkerchiefs.

"Shall I tell you something else Shepard? Shall I tell you a secret? I know a lot, and I'm very good at keeping them to myself. This one however is a bit more...personal."

He leaned in closer to where Lucy hung, suspended from the ceiling by chains attached to her wrists. There were mere inches between them, and the reek of his cigar filled the Spectre's nose. Lucy hated smoking, but it was something so unbelievably mild after the constant abuse that she almost welcomed it. At least it was a familiar sensation.

"You see, when you played that little stunt with the Prothean device and severed me from the rest of my collective, it changed quite a few rules. Ordinarily, I have an emotional inhibitor to keep me in check, but guess what? That part didn't transfer over. So unfortunately for you, I'm actually enjoying this."

A vice-like grip clamped around Lucy's jaw., fingers digging into the soft skin of her cheeks. The Shadow Broker held her head in position, readying some kind of cutting tool in his other hand.

"Now, I don't want you to miss this next bit. That does mean I can't have you closing your eyes. I was going to try an honour system and hope you'd be willing to leave them open, but honestly, you don't seem like a particularly trustworthy person."

With two of the fingers he was using to grip her head, the synthetic carefully grasped the lip of Lucy's upper eyelid, pulling it taught. She tensed involuntarily, unable to look away as the implement he was holding drew closer.

"This could be quick and relatively painless, but don't worry, I'll make sure it isn't. I'm sure you can see my point."

Sharp metal sliced through paper-thin flesh, and this time Shepard couldn't hold in the scream.

"Poor baby." The Shadow Broker cooed over the unintelligible sounds of agony coming from his victim. It took him thirty seconds to finish his grisly work, and by the time he withdrew, his hands were slick with the Spectre's ichor. "I almost wish I knew how much this is hurting you."

"G...G..." Lucy struggled to speak, gasping to fill her ruined lungs with enough air to muster a couple of words. Her vision swam, blurring with a mixture of pained tears and now her crimson lifeblood. "Go...to...hell...y-you fucking...monster."

"That's so hurtful Shepard. You're going to make me cry."

The Shadow Broker wiped his hands on the front of his suit. The bloodstain lingered for a second before disappearing; whether it was a special material or simply a property of the dream world they were in Lucy didn't know, or at that moment, care. She struggled feebly against her restraints but she knew it was no use; she hadn't been able to break free the first time when she'd had all her strength, let alone now, after countless sessions of beating and mutilation. It was always the same; every time she slept, she woke up here, remembering the previous horrors which had been inflicted on her. And every time, she tried with all her might to hold on to the images, to make her waking self aware of the nightmare lurking within her own head. Every time though, she had failed.

"I bet you're wondering why I smoke when I have no lungs or sense of smell." The Shadow Broker was saying, as casually as if he was talking to an old friend. "For a start, I might argue that those facts actually enhance the experience. I cannot kill myself with cancerous tumours or taste the bitter tang of tar and nicotine. But it's more than that. Smoke makes people uncomfortable; the stench is unpleasant, the health risks are worrying, and the fact that there is no logical reason for me to do so seems to put people on edge. It's curious how the fact that there is no reason is itself a reason, don't you think? Existence is full of these tiny ironies."

He paused, calculating gaze once again fixed on Lucy's beautiful but now disfigured features.

"Of course, there is one other benefit."

Without warning, the Shadow Broker withdrew the lit cigar from his mouth and unceremoniously jammed the red-hot tip into Lucy's unblinking eye. Fiery embers gleefully tore into the fragile flesh, cavorting like tiny devils across the surface and burning all in their path.

"This is what you get Shepard." He hissed in her ear, grinding the stub in harder and smirking at the renewed sounds of anguish. "I'm going to peel away the layers of your mind until there's nothing left but a hollow shell. No one can save you in here; all those allies and lovers mean nothing. In here, you are utterly alone."

"She is never alone."

The voice sounded behind the Shadow Broker. It was...familiar; Lucy recognised it from somewhere but couldn't see through the pain long enough to remember where she'd heard it before. There was something about it though, something warm and comforting which pierced through the thick red haze and stirred an emotion deep within her chest.

_Happiness._

God, she hadn't thought she'd ever feel it again.

"What?" Lucy recoiled at the sound, hope faltering like a flame in the wind. The Shadow Broker's voice was so full of malice and hatred; what could anyone do against such merciless, twisted, unrelenting evil?

"She is not alone." The voice said again, strong as before. "And by the Goddess, I will kill you for what you have done to her."


	30. Chapter 30: A Dish Best Served Cold

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 30 – A Dish Best Served Cold**

Fury is a lot like love, Liara thought. Both are only stirred occasionally, both have the power to override logic and reasoning, and both are unimaginable until you experience them for yourself. You can guess what they might feel like, from a description or from observation of others' experiences, but you can never really tell until you're there, in that moment.

Lucy had shown Liara what it was to love someone. She had made the asari realise how a simple emotion could consume your entire existence; how it could rule your life and become the foundation for every action or inaction you made. Love was terrifyingly powerful, and could drive a person to abandon their principles or even change their core beliefs. Love had enslaved Liara, turned her into its pawn and played her off against its other puppets in a game where the stakes were perhaps even higher than life or death. She had been unable to do anything but be swept along for the ride; it wasn't optional, she could not have chosen whether or not to love Lucy. In the end, she had been fortunate. More by chance than any kind of skill, she'd won the game. In that way, love had transformed her, and made her capable of things that would otherwise have been unthinkable.

Well, if Lucy had taught her love, then this stranger had taught her love's bastard siblings, hate and fury. Liara had been angry before; in the playground when the other maidens picked on her for being a pureblood, when her mother had left without so much as a goodbye, when her university's journal had refused to publish her research after years of work. How trivial those moments seemed in hindsight, like raindrops in the ocean. She'd thought she'd known what anger felt like, but oh, how wrong she'd been. The rage inside her now was something much deeper, and much more dangerous. Its sickly, diseased roots reached down into her soul, using the passion it found there to fuel its growth. For only an emotion as strong as love could possibly have created a fury so overwhelmingly strong that it blinded the usually mild-mannered, unobtrusive Liara to everything but a single thought.

She had never known the desire to kill before, nor did she ever want to again. It was sickening and went against everything she believed in. But like a cancer, it spread from cell to cell, subverting and intoxicating. Liara had never felt so violated. The disgust fed her hatred. This...this thing had made her feel this way by daring to hurt the woman she loved.

_ I will kill him. By the Goddess if it is the last thing I ever do I will see this monster dead at my feet._

"Ah, Dr. T'Soni. A pleasure to meet you again." The Shadow Broker turned from his quarry, levelling his gaze at the newcomer. The pool of light he stood in cast everything into stark relief, shadowing his skeletal features beneath the brim of his hat. Three points shone from where his face should be; two red eyes filled with calculating menace and a glowing cigar stub. The latter sizzled with a sticky red liquid, filling the air with the metallic stench of coagulating blood. He didn't release his steely grip on Shepard's defiled face.

_Again?_ Despite her rage, the words perplexed Liara.

That strange, tall hat...the dangling strips of cloth which hung down the back of his legs...the shiny, chrome skin that showed a warped reflection of the world around him. Surely she would remember...

_Oh Goddess._

She did recognise this madman, although the circumstances of their last meeting had been very different. Liara recalled the vision she'd had while unconscious; of a guardian angel who had tried to convince her to give up the fight. How had she forgotten that? It was only now in this...place that the memories came clearly to her. How could such a traumatic event slip her mind?

"Playing catch up are we?" The Shadow Broker said, his voice maddeningly calm after what he'd just been doing. "No one ever thinks to look for the enemy inside themselves. You'd be surprised at what can lurk buried in the subconscious, out of sight of the waking mind. This Shepard," He shook Lucy's head to emphasise his words. "may have stopped me before I could get to you, but she herself was not so fortunate. Now every time she closes her eyes, she enters my domain. I must say she's done quite well, for a weak-minded organic. Not everyone could last this long. But I have all the time in the universe, and she can't hold out forever. Her spirit will break and once that happens, all that strength will mean nothing. When the time comes, she will welcome the rest of me into her mind as eagerly as she welcomes you."

That was the final straw. Hearing the synthetic compare himself to her snapped something deep inside Liara. The insidious tendrils of hatred tightened their hold on her heart until, like a dam bursting under the strain, it exploded into a torrent of deadly, venomous fury.

Liara screamed, or shouted, or yelled...she wasn't sure which. The sound was unlike anything she'd thought herself capable of producing. Then again, she hadn't thought herself capable of desiring another sentient being's death either. The thought would have scared her, if she wasn't completely blinded to everything except her adversary and the broken body of her soul mate which he was besmirching with his hateful claws.

Her biotics flared to life. This wasn't a gentle charge or a slow increase in power; vibrant blue energy exploded out of her like a cyclone, whipping debris off the floor and shaking the walls of the Normandy to their imaginary foundations. Metal groaned in protest, but Liara didn't stop to consider how this dream world might react to her actions. She didn't care if she destroyed everything around her, if she reduced the Normandy to ashes. The synthetic had to die.

"So it's a battle for Shepard's soul?" The Shadow Broker finally unhanded the limp Spectre, turning fully to face the enraged asari. "How dramatic. You must know however that you cannot win. I am a god. You are bacteria. By the time I am done, nothing will remain of what was once Liara T'Soni; just an empty shell with a half-formed memory of failure."

"We shall see." Liara snarled, barely able to speak through her clenched teeth.

The Shadow Broker's body twitched slightly, various joints adjusting themselves in preparation, perhaps increasing his mobility. Blades made of the same silvered material as the rest of his shell sprung from the back of both his wrists, extending to nearly two feet in length and locking into place. A low hum and the stench of ozone filled the air as ionising plasma powered up along the swords' edges. The synthetic hunched down, lowering his centre of mass and spreading his feet wide for better balance. He now looked more like a feral predator than any kind of man.

The two regarded each other for a moment, both searching for a weakness. Liara hung suspended in the air, wreathed in pulsating dark energy. It reminded her of her experience in the Prothean ruins. This time though, she was far from helpless. Lucy had saved her that day. Now it was time to return the favour.

The Shadow Broker made no sound when he struck. Liara had little combat experience, but even she knew that any normal person would grunt or cry out, if not with exertion than in attempt to intimidate their opponent. The Shadow Broker gave no such display. He did not his intentions. One moment he was stationary, the next he was at her throat, twin cutting edges bearing down at lightning speed.

Her aerial position gave her manoeuvrability however, and she willed herself to one side. The biotic energy at her command responded like an extension of her body, boosting her out of the way just in time. Sparks flew as her attacker's blades carved a chunk out of the wall behind where she had been. Liara alighted on the deck, skidding slightly but maintaining a firm footing. It was just as well. The Shadow Broker took zero time to recover, instantly twisting away from his missed blow and delivering a scything uppercut in her direction. He moved as if the laws of physics simply refused to affect him. Everything was choreographed perfectly, and there was an economy and precision in his movement that no organic could hope to emulate; no matter how many years they spent training.

Liara found herself on the defensive again. This time she leapt back, watching in horror as a blade sliced through the spot she'd been occupying a microsecond earlier. The air crackled and sparked in its wake, suffused with an ethereal glow as hydrogen and oxygen molecules were stripped of their electrons by the sheer amount of energy concentrated on them. Again, the Shadow Broker didn't stop; his waist simply rotated a full 360 degrees to bring his other weapon to bear.

Liara moved to back-step the attack, but found that she'd already been forced against the wall. With only a fraction of a moment to act, and no time to ponder if she was about to be eviscerated, she did the instinctual thing and threw up a biotic barrier. Time seemed to slow down as the ripples of energy formed in front of her, racing to intercept the Shadow Broker's blade before it buried itself in her skull.

A phosphorescent flash of dazzling light and her continued ability to breathe signalled that the defence had been successful. Liara had blocked the blow, but the strain in her mind was enormous. It wasn't like blocking a biotic attack of a rain of bullets; the blade focused all of the Shadow Broker's immense power onto a single point. He didn't relent; rather than letting the sword bounce off, he increased the pressure. Liara almost fell to her knees with the effort of keeping her barrier together. If she let it drop, momentum would do the rest and she'd find herself without a head.

Perhaps that was the solution though. She couldn't keep up the shield for more than a few seconds, so, while she still had some reserves to draw on, she focused on building the pressure behind her defence. For a tense moment, nothing sounded but the electrical fizz of plasma. Then, hoping dearly that she hadn't miscalculated or underestimated her adversary, she let her barrier give way with explosive force.

The Shadow Broker might have been strong, but even he had a finite mass. He saw Liara's plan a millisecond before being hit, and dug his clawed feet into the floor, drawing out a tortured screech of metal scraping on metal. It wasn't enough though; the wave of concussive force ripped him off the deck and blasted him across the room. Liara had a moment of heart-stopping panic when it looked like he would sail right into Lucy's limp form. However, whether by chance or his own intention, the Shadow Broker twisted to land better, and in so doing missed the Spectre by mere centimetres.

Liara knew she had to move quickly. Her opponent would never tire and even if she could keep him at bay, it was only a matter of time before her body would be too exhausted to continue. Rage-fuelled adrenaline infused her every muscle, powering her biotics and silencing her fatigue, but it was only sustainable for so long. She had to finish this fast, and the only way to do that was to strike first. If she allowed the Shadow Broker to put her on the defensive again, she was as good as dead.

As if reading her mind, the synthetic didn't try to waste time closing the distance between them. Instead, he remained where he was and used some kind of emitter built into his exoskeleton to fire a deadly laser in her direction. Holding out his hand and directing the beam from his finger tip, he swept the torrent of pulsating red energy across the room. Liara dived to the floor, narrowly avoiding the deadly weapon as it scythed overhead. She couldn't see how close it came, but the momentary, intense heat on the back of her neck gave a harrowing indication.

She took the moment of opportunity while the Shadow Broker reacquired his target to send a roiling mass of dark energy in his direction. It was a vicious, impulsive attack; not the subtle, finely crafted style she had been taught. Panels and girders warped and ruptured in its wake, distorted by the physics-bending properties of the mass-effect field. There was probably enough energy in that shockwave to rip apart a tank.

All that power came at a price; the bolt travelled slowly, and with his superior reflexes, the Shadow Broker easily sidestepped it. It wasn't completely futile however. The seconds it took her adversary to dodge the attack were seconds Liara could use to her advantage, and seconds where she wasn't being shot at. Using her biotics, she boosted herself off the floor. She knew she had to get in close. At range, it wouldn't take long for the Shadow Broker's directed energy weapons to dispatch her. She didn't even have a gun.

Liara surged forward, dark energy flowing from her body like a deadly comet-trail. If she could get inside the synthetic's reach, past his eviscerating blades, she might have a chance. Biotics could enhance their users' strength and speed, perhaps enough to give her an edge over the Shadow Broker's more cumbersome, sword-like weapons. In truth, these thoughts only occupied a small part of Liara's mind. She wasn't really focused on tactics or even her own self-preservation. No, the majority of her thoughts were still filled with the heartbreaking image of her strong, beautiful Spectre paralyzed and screaming with agony. Like a broken omni-tool, her mind's eye played back the images over and over again. She could see the Shadow Broker's hands coated in blood, see the grin on his deathly features as he marred the perfect, golden skin of Lucy's face with his vile, barbed fingers. She'd gladly have traded places with Lucy. No damage he could inflict on her body could equal the damage done to her soul by being forced to endure those images. They would haunt her forever, dream world or not. This may all be an illusion, but memories like that could not be dismissed.

With a roar, Liara dove at the source of her outrage. By now the Shadow Broker had regained a steady platform from which to unleash an attack. Multiple lasers, or Goddess knew what they were, pierced the air, each one of his digits spitting white-hot death at her approaching form. Metal designed to withstand mass-accelerator rounds melted away like ice, electronics exploded in plumes of acrid smoke and vengeful sparks, the entire Normandy screamed as the Shadow Broker's attack punished it. Were this the real craft, it would no doubt have been torn apart long ago. As it was, through the cracks in the hull, Liara could sense a maddening frenzy of light and sound; a hellish nightmare designed to drive organic minds to the brink of insanity. She paid it no heed.

Amidst the maelstrom summoned forth by the Shadow Broker, Liara flew like a leaf caught in a hurricane. Her body flitted between the deadly rays, borne aloft by a biotic prowess she didn't know she had. Perhaps in a dream the rules were different, or perhaps she'd simply forgotten her limits in her one-track quest for vengeance. Either way, she kept her gaze fixed on her opponent and let herself flow through the storm. A grimace of satisfaction graced her lips at the very real, very organic look of fear that seeped onto his face as she drew closer, untouched by his best efforts to force her back. If what he'd said was true, the real him might have stood undaunted, but this fragment, this after image...it knew fear, just like it knew sadistic glee.

At the last moment, the Shadow Broker broke off his attack and attempted to bring his blades to bear. It might have been successful but for one thing; Liara had been holding back. She'd realised that the machine she was facing could anticipate her every move; so it was time to be a bit unpredictable. Focusing her remaining dregs of power into one final lunge, she accelerated at breakneck speed. She couldn't dodge now, no matter what happened.

The Shadow Broker was fast. Impossibly fast. Even for a synthetic programmed to perfection, he moved with the speed of a demi-god. Deep down, Liara had known that there was no way she could go up against an enemy so powerful and come away completely unscathed. Now that macabre thought was hammered home. She was just a pace away from her quarry when he struck. Her sudden burst of biotic power was all that saved her from what would otherwise have been a fatal blow. As it was, the strike aimed to decapitate missed its mark...but not entirely. Barbs of agony clawed at her skull as the superheated plasma cleaved the tips of her head-crests from her body. The fragile cartilage parted without hesitation under the blade's caress.

For Liara, time slowed to a crawl. Whether it was the pain, the biotics, the dream or the adrenaline she wasn't sure. Perhaps a mixture of all four, or maybe, it was just a heightened state of consciousness only attainable when you came within microseconds of death. The neurons in her mind sparked and fired, each one individual and distinct, like gunshots in the dark. She could feel the pain, the anger, and the sorrow as it travelled from synapse to synapse. Her brain was a battlefield, each impulse warring for control of her actions.

Then the moment was gone, lost between two rapid beats of her laboured heart. And with its disappearance and fresh wave of resolve, Liara knew that anger had won.

"You will...not...touch...her...ever...again!" Her voice cut above the crescendo of sound that surrounded their bubble, ringing out clear and pure. Like an avenging angel, Liara smashed into the Shadow Broker. She could barely make out what was happening as they tumbled over and over, but that didn't stop her bringing her fist back again and again, smashing it into anything that shone silver. The world spun in a blur of chrome, gunmetal grey and brilliant blue light.

With a crash that was lost in the din from outside, the whirling mass of limbs collided with the far wall. Liara was thrown clear of her opponent, and for a few moments, experienced a dizzying sensation of weightlessness as she spun through the air, unsure of which way was up or down. Then, she hit the floor with enough force to knock the wind right out of her chest. Her lungs ached at the sudden lack of oxygen and she struggled to gulp down large mouthfuls of air. She had to get back in the fight quickly. If she could just...

Already, the deck rang with the sound of footfalls. Overhead, the Shadow Broker loomed like an angel of death, already recovered from their breakneck tumble. Liara took some small comfort in the visible damage she'd inflicted on him. His carapace bore many dents and in a few places, exposed circuitry and a white paste similar to the geth's 'blood' could be see leaking out through cracks in his once indestructible shell. He still carried himself with immaculate clarity of movement, but the slight stiffness in one of his legs also spoke of some internal damage.

"Not bad, T'Soni." He said, voice just as calm as before. Unlike her, his injuries didn't carry over to the way he spoke. "You're quite the fighter. Of course, it proves nothing. This is but a shadow of my true self and possesses limited power."

Liara tried to rise, but her arms were still too weak to support her weight. She winced as multiple lacerations she'd been numb to before made themselves known and a deep throbbing on the back of her head also reminded her of the near-mortal injury she'd sustained. She could see her blood on the Shadow Broker's ruffled clothing; whether from her cuts or from her fist as she'd struck, she wasn't sure.

Before she could summon the strength to stand, her enemy's hands were at her throat. Hefting her effortlessly, the Shadow Broker took a moment to watch her spasmodic motions before flinging her back the way they'd come. For the second time in as many minutes, Liara found herself airborne. This time her fall was broken by the pedestal where Lucy was chained and she collapsed in a heap at its base, crying out as the impact jolted her already battered frame.

"You're a smart girl. You must have known there was only one way this could have ended." The synthetic seemed to be in no hurry as he casually sauntered over. He knew the fight was leaving her system. "In a way, this works out perfectly. I've killed your image in front of our friend here many, many times, but I think it will have a little more impact if she knows it's the real you. If she knows that out there, you'll be nothing more than a brain-dead sack of flesh."

Liara clawed at the deck, willing herself to go on, but she knew it was futile. Her eyes were drawn upwards to Lucy's limp form, suspended like a grotesque puppet. This close, she could see the true extent of the injuries inflicted on her beloved Spectre. Lucy was naked, but she wore an outfit of scars that hid her radiant skin from view. Instead, it had been beaten into sickly shades of purple, blue and green. Cuts adorned almost every inch of her body and Liara was horrified to see that her lower legs were in fact missing an outer layer of flesh altogether.

_It's a dream...a dream, it's not real. Goddess, it can't be real!_

That may be true, but she still felt every wound and there was no doubt it was the same for Lucy. Pain itself was a fabrication of the mind...did it really matter whether the cause was real or imaginary?

More footfalls, behind her this time. Liara didn't turn. If this really was to be her last moment, she wanted to die with Lucy, not staring into the eyes of some sadistic monster. Even with the disfigurations, the lacerations, and the twisted, broken bones, her soul mate was beautiful. It was something their torturer could never take away, because no matter how hard he tried, he could only mar Lucy's physical form...and her beauty ran much, much deeper than that.

"Time to perish, Liara T'Soni." The Shadow Broker's blood-soaked hand grasped her head, sharpened points digging into her flesh. They burned red hot from the recent discharge of energy, and he made no effort to avoid the bleeding stumps where her crests had been. Liara managed to avoid any sounds of pain; she wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

Dragging her up, the synthetic flipped her around to face him. Liara tried to resist, but she might as well have tried to move the Citadel. His strength was undiminished, despite the damage.

"You see, asari. Even the strongest you have to offer is not enough." The Shadow Broker readied his blade for the finishing blow. In her final moments, Liara searched his eyes, looking for anything to indicate there was a way out. She found nothing. There was no remorse in those eyes, no pity. He could not be bargained or reasoned with.

_This is it then..._

Liara didn't cry. Or maybe she'd been crying the whole time. What did it matter now?

She'd failed.

_Lucy...I'm so sorry. Oh Goddess, my love, I'm so, so sorry...I wasn't strong enough to save you._

"Your quest, like your galaxy, was doomed to begin with. This is a dream world Dr. T'Soni, and in here, I have complete control." He drew back his arm. At least it would be over quickly; he was nothing if not efficient.

"Wrong."

The voice was weak, barely more than a whisper. It sounded like its owner hadn't spoken in years.

"My head..." Lucy's body shook with the effort of forcing words from a shattered ribcage and punctured lungs. "...my...rules."

A dazzling explosion of light filled the Normandy. Unlike the hateful mockery of colour that cascaded outside, it shone bright and pure, casting long shadows from every fragment of rubble and every twisted section of hull. It was enough to make the Shadow Broker pause as he assimilated the new information.

Squinting, Liara could see something solidifying in her right hand. The brilliant white radiance was coalescing into something solid. She could feel its weight and warmth against her palm. The sensation brought a smile to her face, an incongruous expression of hope amidst the carnage. Fear was driven from her heart, and hope rushed in to fill the void; for she could tell what this meant.

Lucy's subconscious was fighting back.

"Enough tricks." The Shadow Broker turned back to his prey, only to find that in the second he'd been distracted, she'd grown a new set of claws.

Screaming a hoarse cry, Liara hefted the radiant, shining spear and with every ounce of rage, hope and strength she could muster, plunged it into the Shadow Broker's chest.

Metal warped, buckled, and finally snapped under the weapon's impact. Liara's whole body shook and she nearly blacked out from the effort it took to drive the tip all the way through. Faintness clouded her mind, and for a few seconds, her vision condensed to a single tunnel, focused on the point of impact. She kept driving, utterly indifferent to her near-fatal level of exhaustion. If it killed her, then so be it; justice would have been done, and her Lucy would be safe.

Just before the terminus, beyond which blackness would have claimed her, Liara's efforts were rewarded. The Shadow Broker staggered back, pulling the spear from her hands as he did. It had impaled him right through the heart, or at least, where his heart would have been. Inorganic sounds of pain and anger filled the confined space.

"This changes nothing." He spat, locking gazes with Liara in his final moments. All efforts to emulate organic speech had been discarded. His true voice was deep and rumbling; resonating through the floor, ceiling, and every wall with all the subtlety and anger of an avalanche. It truly was the sound of nightmares. "I am the vanguard of your destruction. You may attempt to resist, but you will fail. The Harvest will come. It is inevita-"

With a force that sent shockwaves rippling through the air, the shaft of light detonated, splitting into a million phosphorescent pieces and tearing the Shadow Broker apart. Every trace of his loathsome presence was burned away by the cleansing white fire until, when the spectacular display had subsided, only dust and echoes remained.

Liara just lay there, struggling to breathe and bring herself back from the brink. She'd been so close to failing and yet, by an almost literal miracle, she'd managed to prevail. Right now, she was just glad she still had her sanity.

*"Goddess..." She murmured, more to reassure herself than anything else. "He's gone...he's really gone."

She could feel the anger and adrenaline leaving her system, coiling itself up deep inside like a slumbering serpent. It was not extinguished, not truly; the focus of her hatred still existed outside, in the physical world. For now at least though, it was tucked away again, in a place where it could harm no one.

_So much the better._ Liara thought. The fury had given her strength, but it had also warped her to a point where she'd barely recognised herself anymore. If she never went through such an ordeal again, it would still be a lifetime too soon.

"Li...Lia-ra?" Lucy groaned from behind her. "Is that you? I-I can't see."

_Shepard!_

Liara dragged her weary body to its feet, ignoring the pain that shot through her as she did. Now was not a time to think of herself.

"Yes...yes Lucy, it's me." She hurried up the steps of the plinth, and was about to embrace her beloved Spectre when she forced herself to stop. Lucy was absolutely covered in injuries, and no doubt any touch to her body would cause immense pain. Instead, she got as close as she dared, and continued.

"He's gone now. We did it...you did it. He can't hurt you anymore."

Liara had to fight back tears. Seeing the strong woman like this, so broken and abused; it was beyond horrific.

"I-It's okay my love." She continued. "This is not real. None of this is real. It's all in your head; a dream, that's all it is."

"It...hurts." Lucy whispered, skinless legs twitching as she tried to find purchase on a floor slick with her own blood. "A-All of me...it hurts."

"I know." Liara choked on the words. "But it won't anymore. You're free Lucy."

Leaning in, she gingerly pressed her lips to Shepard's, careful to avoid any undue pressure. Through the contact, she established the link that was needed to bring them both back to the waking world. Lucy responded, weakly but definitively, moving just enough to show that she was still aware of what was happening.

"Time to go home my love."


	31. Chapter 31: Awakenings II

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 31 – Awakenings II**

Lucy's world dissolved in a dizzying display of blurred colour, like everything had suddenly just turned to water and trickled out of her brain. As it did, she could feel the pain wash away with it. It was like scraping week-old grime off her body - she'd never have thought she'd be clean again, but now that she was, it felt so, so good. This was different from the other times too. Before, she may have woken up with no memory of the torture, but inside, her mind was still trapped in that hellish place, strung up like a rag doll. Now though, she was truly free of that...thing. It was gone from her head, and she owed it all to Liara.

Once the spinning sensation had stopped, Lucy risked opening her eyes again. Harsh light seeped through cracks, blinding her as her pupils adjusted. Once the glare had worn off, she was greeted with a view of the ceiling. To be more precise, the ceiling in her bedroom suite. The disorienting effects of the meld were messing with her senses, and for a moment, she couldn't quite remember what had just happened.

_I was standing by the mirror. Yes, yes I'd just finished dressing for dinner. There was a buzz at the door, then Liara came in and did...what exactly? A joining? But why?_

That explained her present, recumbent state at least. Clearly, at some point during the process, she'd collapsed onto the floor. It looked like she'd be staying there for a while too; her muscles felt unusually stiff, as if she'd recently run a marathon. Not to mention there was this strange weight on her chest, pinning her down.

_What is that?_

"Lucy?" The word was slurred, as if being spoken by someone still half asleep. There was a brief pause, before it came again, stronger and more urgent. "Lucy?!"

Craning her neck, about the only movement she was able to manage at this point, Lucy could see Liara's blue form sprawled on top of her.

_That explains the pressure then._

The asari was twitching slightly, and murmuring the Spectre's name as she came to. Lucy was unprepared for the intensity of emotion which the sight stirred, a confusing jumble of love, gratitude and...fear? Flashes of recollection raced through her mind; a fight, brilliant white light, the blue glow of biotics, red eyes in the dark and permeating every other image, an overwhelming pain. Agony almost beyond human comprehension. All her lost memories were beginning to return, and with each one that did, it made the last time she'd seen the asari feel longer and longer ago. She hadn't just experienced this once either. Like a crack in a dam which widened and buckled under the weight of what it contained, some sort of mental barrier gave broke inside Lucy's mind.

_Oh god...that place...that man...how did I forget it every time I woke up? How could anyone forget that?_

Aloud, she managed to croak a "Yes." to Liara, before letting her head flop back to the floor, overwhelmed with the remembrance of horrifying torture and debasement. "Y-Yes, I'm here."

There was movement against her body, and Lucy felt two unseen hands dig into her sides, as if clinging on for dear life. It might have been painful, but right now, she welcomed anything which reminded her of the real world. Liara could have punched her, and it would have felt like bliss compared to what she'd just been through.

"Oh...oh thank the Goddess." Liara's choked voice betrayed her own fears. "I thought..."

Lucy stirred weakly, willing life back into her lethargic limbs. As the memories solidified within her mind, organising themselves into a semi-coherent timeline, the final episode slotted into place; the explanation of how she'd escaped the cycle of nightly torment. Rebellious tears pricked at the corners of her eyes as she replayed Liara's heroic battle. Being unable to move now just wouldn't do. Not when there was an asari who needed the biggest hug of her life.

"Come here." She whispered, urgently tugging at Liara's lab coat, encouraging her upwards. "P-Please. Liara...please."

The asari responded immediately, although her own fatigue was clearly slowing her down as well. In a display that would probably have been quite comical under different circumstances, she slowly inched her way up Shepard's body until, at last, they were face to face. Lucy gazed into Liara's eyes, allowing herself some time to simply bask in their warmth. There were many horrible things they both needed to come to terms with, and many questions that needed answering, but for the moment, all she wanted was the feeling of the other woman against her. She needed a loving presence to keep the panic at bay.

Finally finding the strength to move her arms, Lucy wrapped them around Liara's torso, and clung to it like a drowning woman. She didn't usually like to burden anyone with her troubles, but right now, she could not imagine what she'd have done without the asari there to comfort her. Although she would never admit it out loud, not even to either of her partners, Lucy felt like a terrified little girl who'd just learned that all the monsters under her bed were real. She could face down an army, confront the most twisted and evil scum the galaxy had to offer and even deal with a broken heart, but this attack...it had done something to her. Whoever the aggressor had been, he had bypassed all her defences, invalidating every method she knew for fighting back and had struck where she was most vulnerable.

Words didn't often fail her, but she was at a loss for where to begin. She felt like she would burst if she kept all this pain inside her.

"I saw you die." She said eventually, deciding that if there was just one thing she needed to get off her chest right now, it was this. "Both you and Tali. He...he conjured you up, from my memories, and then he s-slaughtered you. Again and again. I tried to stop him, I-I tried but he was just-"

"It's okay, my love." Liara softly interrupted. Her own sadness lurked just behind the words, but she did an admirable job of hiding it. Lucy saw through her immediately of course; the asari wore the same expression she herself did when she was being strong for others benefit. The sentiment was what mattered however, and it was one more thing to add to the list of reasons to love Liara. "They were just illusions, nothing more. Both me and Tali are as alive as we have always been."

"I know." Lucy sighed, although she hugged Liara to her even tighter. She focused on continuing to talk, to try and voice what had happened as if she was simply telling any other story. "It just felt so...real. With a nightmare, you can distance yourself from it, and the memory fades quickly. This...it's like it really happened. I-" She shook slightly, images and sensations flooding her mind. She had never felt so helpless; not since her parent's death all those years ago."-I can still see your bodies, b-broken and bloodied. He hung them in front of me and forced me to look as he tore...a-as he...he covered me...your...oh god."

Lucy cut herself off again, unable to finish the sentence. She couldn't bear to think about it, not while the wounds were still so fresh; not while she could sniff the air and recall the scent of her lover's blood.

"I'm sorry." She said, trying to regain a bit of composure. "You don't need to hear that part."

"Oh Lucy." Liara's grip was like a vice, as if she was scared the Spectre would simply vanish from under her. Small tremors ran through her body, but other than that, she was deathly still. Lucy knew she was looking at someone who was fighting a losing battle against their emotions. Like sun-scorched earth, Liara's facade was beginning to crack and crumble. It showed in her quivering lips, in the moisture pooling around her eyes, and in the whiteness of her knuckles. In a selfish way, Lucy found it comforting. She felt guilty for even thinking such a thing, but on some instinctual, primal level, she was glad that there was someone else who had a hope of understanding what had happened to her. And Liara's distress gave her something to focus on besides her own thoughts. Soothing the asari's frayed nerves was familiar territory at least.

In one smooth motion, Lucy slid her hands up Liara's neck and applied just enough pressure to bring the asari's trembling mouth to her own. She didn't try to hide her desperate need for comfort, or the naked yearning she felt for Liara's touch. Maybe, before, she would have held back, fearing the effect it might have on her partners if she showed such weaknesses. That seemed like such a feeble excuse now. There was so much more to be gained by opening up to the women she loved instead of shutting herself away.

Liara sobbed into the kiss, returning it passionately even as tears began to flood down her cheeks. Lucy wondered if there was any other couple out there who'd shared so much in such a short space of time. If she had believed at all, she might have called it divine providence. As it was, she was simply thankful for the series of lucky coincidences that had brought them together.

There was one good thing had come from the whole experience. It wasn't much, but Lucy always tried to focus on the bright side, however small. She had thought of a new nickname for Liara, inspired by the blurred glimpses she'd caught of the asari's fight. She may never truly forget the pain she'd suffered, nor the ghastly sights she'd seen, but neither would she forget the image of her timid prothean expert, transformed into an avatar of burning vengeance.

"Thank you," She whispered, breaking the kiss just long enough to breathlessly speak the words. "Thank you, my guardian angel."

Impudent vermin! How could this have happened? Shepard had been within his grasp and then this asari, a primitive creature, had thwarted him?

The quiet background hum of a hundred monitors and the harsh ring of metal footfalls were the only discernible sounds in the cavernous office. Pacing relentlessly, the Shadow Broker ran algorithm after algorithm, processing and reprocessing the fragment of information he'd been transmitted. Even separated from the whole, his after-image should have been more than sufficient to get the job done. It appeared, however, that there had been an unexpected turn of events; a foreign variable had been introduced and had upset the delicate framework of his plans. Apparently he had underestimated the strength of the bonds organics could form between each other.

No matter. He assimilated the new data, updating every one of his processes to ensure such a mistake would not be repeated. Failure was not a concept which applied to him or his kind. This was merely a delay, an irrelevance compared to schemes which spanned 50,000 years. Still, countermeasures had to be enacted. He had to show his enemies that they could not hope to best him and escape without consequence.

Turning back to the bank of screens, the Shadow Broker pulled up his dossiers on each of the Normandy's crew members in turn. Browsing through, he selected the next-of-kin section, and began to scan the lists.

_Ashley Williams: Mother, Deceased Father, 3 Sisters_

_Liara T'Soni: Indoctrinated Mother, Estranged Father_

_ Tali'Zorah: Deceased Mother, Father_

_ ..._

The names went on and on; siblings, parents, grandparents. Under his guidance, agents had been able to trace just about every ancestor and descendant that still lived, as well as the resting places of many who didn't.

Highlighting all the close family members, the Shadow Broker opened up lines of communication, connecting to several of his most effective employees across the galaxy, including the salarian, Tazzik. With a few keystrokes, all the relevant data was forwarded to their personal files.

"I want them dead." There was no sense sugar-coating the truth; these men and women knew what was expected of them and what the price would be if they didn't deliver.

There was a brief pause, then one of the agent's voice channels wavered into life.

"Which ones, sir?"

"All of them, and bring me the bodies, as intact as you can."

The silence that followed indicated his orders had been understood. If any of the hit-men had qualms about killing children or elders, they didn't voice them. After all, they also knew that if the Shadow Broker had such detailed files on the crew of a single Alliance frigate, their own families were in just as much danger.

Just in case, he cut all comms except the one to his salarian enforcer.

"Tazzik, watch the others. If you believe any of them are no longer mission-fit, report to me immediately."

"Understood."

A blip caught the Shadow Broker's attention. One solitary screen at the far end of the array was flashing; an incoming message from another one of his agents in the field.

_ID: 1430-76_

A human, and a new recruit. He'd been sent on a routine intelligence sweep of some outlying systems in the Attican Traverse. No doubt he hadn't yet learned not to bother his employer with such trivialities.

"What is it?" The Shadow Broker snapped, switching to his audio-frequency.

"Sir, I wish to file my mission report."

"I see. And you were unable to do so without personally contacting me?"

"N-No sir." The man stammered, hastily trying to explain himself. "I-I mean yes, I mean...I found something I think you'll want to see. It pertains to your special directive."

"You have information on Shepard?" Perhaps this organic was not quite as incompetent as he'd thought.

"Y-Yes sir. I was pinging Targus in the Gormag-Gahn system, and I found the remains of a batarian slaving camp on the southern continent. It was deserted, had been for some time, but there were still some functioning solar cells providing power to the base. I thought I'd check it out, see if there was anything that could be salvaged from the data banks."

"I trust this will all be in your report. Get to the point."

"Ah, yes, of course sir. Well, there were some cryo-pods inside that were still operational. I had a look at the manifest, and, well, see for yourself."

A new file flashed on screen, before being re-routed directly to the Shadow Broker himself. Sure enough, it was an inventory of all the slaves the batarians had captured and frozen for transport. Included were their planet of origin and their birth names; batarians always recorded the identity of their prisoners, in case they captured someone valuable who they could ransom off later.

Most of the entries were red, indicating that the power for that cryo pod had failed. The base was over a decade old; anyone in those particular capsules was long dead. A few remained green however, running off the aging solar power. Specifically, the batch from Mindoir seemed to have suffered relatively few casualties.

A name, or rather, two identical names, stood out amongst the other worthless merchandise.

"Very good." The Shadow Broker said, quietly cataloguing that as the third time he'd ever complimented an organic. "I trust you have secured this precious cargo."

"Yes sir, I have Mr. and Mrs. Shepard on board."


	32. Chapter 32: Consolidation

**Author's Notes:**

Hey everyone, got another chapter for you here. I apologise for the snail's pace of updating. I don't often find myself with a lot of free time these days, but whenever I do, I like adding to this story. It's still far from finished, but it's not dead yet. It just hibernates from time to time :P

So please, enjoy the latest chapter, and if you have the time, all reviews are greatly appreciated :) Thank you for reading.

**Three Little Lovebirds**

**Chapter 32 – Consolidation**

Was grief the opposite of love? It was something Lucy had wondered a few times. She wasn't predisposed to philosophy, more due to her lifestyle than personal choice, but she'd toyed with the question before. It had occupied her mind more than once after the events of Mindoir and her parents' death, for that stretch of time when she'd felt nothing but a dreary ennui. The doctors and councillors had told her that it was grief and that it would pass, and they had been right, although at the time, she hadn't believed a word of it. People had approached her and offered their support, and in some cases, their love, both platonic and not, but she'd turned them aside. She had simply felt too weary to handle anything but her day to day routine. At the time, she'd assumed that grief and love must have been diametrically opposed. After all, when two opposites met, they cancelled each other out, and her grief had certainly sapped away any love she may have felt.

Now though, she had a chance to rethink her answer, and she realized that she'd been wrong. Now, in her personal hour of need, the love she felt for the two women by her side had never been stronger. It made such a difference, having people to turn to; people she could confide her weaknesses in.

"Are you sure you're okay Lucy?" Tali asked for about the twentieth time. No visor could hide her concern; she had been distraught when Liara had explained what happened. Fortunately, the asari had censored some of the more graphic parts that Lucy had shared. "We don't have to do this you know. We're here for a week, there'll be other opportunities to go out. Neither of us would mind if you wanted to stay in and...recover."

The quarian glanced at Liara, who nodded her head in support. Lucy sighed, hoping to appear blasé. It came out rather tremulous.

Okay, perhaps she wasn't as over it as she thought she was, but the healing process had to start somewhere.

"I understand what you're trying to do, and thank you, really, but I think what's best is if we just continue like nothing happened." She looked between her two partners, offering them the most reassuring smile she could muster. They looked thoroughly unconvinced. "Trust me, I've been through similar things before. The most important thing is normalcy; that's how I...we put this behind us. Dinner with two wonderful women will help take my mind off of...of..."

Seeing Lucy beginning to drift, Liara quickly jumped in.

"Of course Shepard, we understand."

"Where did you have in mind?" Tali interjected, clearly picking up on the fact that they should keep the conversation flowing and steered away from earlier events.

Glad to have something to talk about other than the attack, Lucy grabbed a data pad off her bedside table.

"I did a bit of research on the restaurants around here before I booked us the studio. Fortunately, it wasn't hard to find places that serve good dextro and levo food. Quarian suitable was a bit harder to find, but I was able to pull a few strings." She flashed a smile at Tali. "There's this one place; serves traditional dishes from each race in Council space in both dextro and levo forms. They've been going for a while, and with some prying, I was able to gather that they have a fully-functional, though currently unused, clean-room; you know, from the period after the quarians adopted their suits but before they lost their embassy."

That got Tali's attention.

"You mean...?"

"Yup." Lucy smiled, feeling distinctly pleased with herself. "The manager seemed happy enough to power it up for our purposes. This whole Spectre thing seems out be working our rather well. That means no straws or ingestion ports for you tonight."

"I-I don't know what to say..." Tali glanced sideways at Liara momentarily, before leaning forward and brushing her helmet against the Spectre's cheek. "Thank you, Lucy. I can't wait!"

"That was very thoughtful of you." Liara smiled. Lucy was happy to see that Tali's display of affection hadn't fazed her other partner, and by the way she kept furtively peeking at the asari, it looked like Tali was as well.

"Well, shucks, I do what I can." Lucy could feel her cheeks heating up slightly, something which only increased when the others looked at her, nonplussed.

"Earth saying..." She mumbled, before clearing her throat. "Anyway, there's no sense in delaying."

The stroll back out along the strip was as pleasant as the one they'd made earlier. It had only been a few hours previously, and nothing had changed since the last time, but to Lucy it felt fresh and new, like she was seeing it with a new set of eyes. In what had probably been no more than a few seconds of real time, week's worth of awful memories had been unlocked in her mind. There would come a point, soon, when she'd have to confront that. An attack like this could not be shrugged off lightly; she had an enemy out there somewhere, in some form, with some unknown motive. Who knew how real his dream image was? Who knew how much power he really had? And why did he seemingly want her to suffer? Until these questions were answered, she was still in danger, and what's more, distracted from their true purpose; the hunt for Saren.

That being said, she wouldn't just hide away or skulk back to the Normandy, defeated. Whoever this person was, they had wanted to make her life hell. She could think of no better way to win this battle than to go out and do the exact opposite. Lucy was determined to make tonight wonderful, to create new memories that would replace the horrible ones as her most recent. The torture she'd experienced inside her own head could become the past, where, along with all the other demons, it could do nothing more than haunt her dreams.

Lost in her momentary introspection, she almost walked right past the tailor's where she'd ordered Tali's gift earlier. Of course, that still needed collecting.

"You two go on ahead. I'll catch up in just a moment."

"Where are you going?" Lucy wished Tali would stop sounding so worried, but she guessed she couldn't really blame her, given what had happened.

"I just forgot something. Go on. I'll be back before you're at the restaurant."

As Liara watched Lucy go, she felt a small, rebellious twinge of panic in the pit of her stomach. It was absurd really; out of all the people she'd ever met, the Commander was probably the one most capable of looking after herself. Nevertheless, the image of a frail and terrified woman, begging Liara to hold her, was still fresh in her mind. It was sometimes easy to forget that her partner was a human, and suffered from the same sorts of fears an asari might.

"How do you cope?" She said at last, not really realizing she'd said it out loud, but realizing that it was something she had wanted to ask for a while.

"Huh?" Tali looked away from Lucy's retreating form as they continued towards the restaurant.

"When she leaves, for missions...when you know that despite everything she says, she can't guarantee her own safety. How do you cope with that? I've only been with her a few days and it already terrifies me."

Tali seemed slightly taken aback by the question, and for a moment, Liara wondered if she'd asked something too personal. They walked in silence for a bit as the quarian pondered her answer.

"It's difficult." Tali said at last. "You end up wishing you could follow her everywhere. It's silly, I know. I'm no soldier; I'm sure Ashley, Garrus, or Wrex can do a better job protecting her than I ever could. That doesn't make it any easier though. Every time I see a spike in her suit's biometric feed I swear my heart skips a beat."

Tali looked Liara directly in the eyes, or at least, it felt like she was.

"I should probably be the one asking you that question though. I didn't even see what was going on inside her head and my nerves are shot. I can't imagine what it must be like for you."

"It was a nightmare." Liara said solemnly, shivering as the memories slithered through her mind like spirits of the dead. She hadn't wanted their conversation to retrace this morbid path, but it was clearly at the forefront of both their minds. "I was so angry...it clouds most of my recollections. It's probably for the best; I don't think I remember it as clearly as Lucy does."

She straightened her back, fists clenching unconsciously as her thoughts turned to the metal man who was the source of all this pain.

"One thing's for certain though. If that machine I fought exists in reality, his days are numbered. I swear, by the Goddess, that I will not rest until he is scrap."

"You'll have to get in line." Tali chuckled, drawing a small smile from Liara.

"It seems like the galaxy is determined that we will never get a normal, quiet day to ourselves." The asari said, forcing herself away from the images of that dark, dank, disgusting place. Lucy was right; they had to try and move past it and focus on something better.

"We're a quarian and an asari, following the first human Spectre and her rag-tag crew as they chase a rouge Spectre across the galaxy, trying to prevent the return of the ancient machine race which wiped out the Protheans. I don't think any day can be considered 'normal'."

"You raise a valid point."

Liara got the feeling that Tali wanted to say something else, but was hesitating. No sooner had she reached this conclusion, then the quarian spoke again.

"Liara?"

"Yes."

"How do you feel...about all this?"

Liara thought for a moment, unsure of how to reply. How did she feel? The truth was she didn't really know. Excited? Elated? Terrified? All of them were true.

"I'm not sure I understand..."

"You know, about Lucy, about us, about...me?" Tali was wringing her hands, something Liara had noticed the young girl did when she was feeling nervous or vulnerable. It was a good thing that quarians were so emotive with their body language, or she probably wouldn't have picked up on it.

"I-I was hoping to ask you the same question." The asari admitted sheepishly. "I did some research on the extranet after Lucy...well, after we agreed to be together. From what I gather, our situation is somewhat atypical, even for an interspecies relationship. Multi-partner romances are uncommon in most societies. It is odd, considering that many seem to express sexual fantasies involving more than two participants."

She took Tali's continued attention and small giggle as a cue to go on.

"You were with Shepard before I was. Based on the forum posts I read, most of them filled with expletives, it seems that when someone in a monogamous relationship expresses interest in another, that person's partner is often hostile towards this third party. I must admit, I was so overjoyed when Lucy came to me that I did not fully consider the ramifications. I-If I hurt you, it was not my intention. I feel like I have to ask though; do you...dislike me?"

Liara realized that her babbling was leading her into dangerous territory, and decided it was best if she stopped before she could raise any more negative issues.

_Goddess, you're such a fool. It almost sounds as if you want her to hate you._

"I would be lying if I said I hadn't considered that." Tali replied, seemingly picking her words carefully. "I was upset when Lucy first told me...but not really at you. Like you said, our situation is so unique, and I'm so inexperienced. All I can go by is what I feel, and I don't feel any hatred towards you, Liara, despite what people might 'expect'."

The asari gave a relieved sigh. She was glad to hear those words, spoken by Tali herself in no uncertain terms.

"When I was unhappy," the quarian continued. "it was because I feared that Lucy's feelings for you would diminish my relationship with her. I guess none of us can know what will happen in the long run, but so far, it's been okay, don't you think?"

"More than okay." Liara agreed. Goddess, it felt so good to be able to openly voice the thoughts she'd been having these past days. "She is the most remarkable woman I've ever met. I am in your debt Tali, for accepting me and her with such grace. I cannot think of many people who have been so kind to me."

"Ah, you're going to make me blush."

"I-I do not wish to presume the level of our friendship, but would you mind if I asked you some more questions?" Liara didn't want to push too hard, but now that she'd begun to clear the air, she wanted to go the whole way.

"It's okay Liara, we're friends." Tali emphasized her sincerity with a pat on the asari's back. "You can ask me anything, although I'm not sure how good I'll be at answering."

"Thank you. I've never been very adept at reading people. It's good to know that I'm not making a fool of myself."

"So, what's on your mind?"

"I was wondering...have you ever been, um...attracted...to anyone else before?"

"Wow, you don't mess around, do you?"

"Oh, no, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry, please-" Liara stumbled over herself to apologize. This was exactly what she feared; thinking that she'd gauged a person and then finding out she'd been completely wrong.

"It's okay Liara, I'm just teasing."

"Oh...oh." The asari could feel herself blushing. It was better than Tali being offended by what she'd said, but only slightly less embarrassing for her. "You were joking. I-I see."

"Don't worry. I'm not so good when it comes to talking about this kind of stuff either. Makes me all nervous and...erm, sweaty. Still, you were asking if I'd ever been attracted to anyone else?"

"Correct, if it's not too personal a question."

"No, no, it's fine. It's just...I'm not really sure. On the Flotilla, we don't often get the chance to indulge in pastime activities. There's always something that needs fixing or upgrading or salvaging. We tend to meet partners through our work. That, and then there's the fact that the ship you grow up on is like your family, especially if it's small. You know everyone for your entire childhood, and you also know that you're going to leave after your pilgrimage, so you tend not to think about getting attached to anyone in that way."

Tali sighed.

"Then there are these suits. Everyone looks pretty much the same at first glance. The only way to judge if someone is right for you is by spending time with them, getting to know them. Being an admiral's daughter, I never really had the opportunity to do that with anyone. Father always had me running errands for him."

"I see. So you did not have a 'childhood crush'?"

"Not really. I mean, all girls daydream, but there was never any one particular person."

"I understand that like humans and turians, it is less common for quarians to be attracted to members of the same gender. I must admit, I find the whole idea of 'sexes' rather confusing. Perhaps it is because I grew up on an asari-only planet."

"Well, yes, that is technically true." Tali was back to fidgeting with her hands. "I mean, I guess I always assumed that I was into boys, but like I said, I didn't really think about it that much. When I met Lucy though..."

"I can see how Shepard might make people reassess themselves."

"It's more than that." Tali replied. "Keelah, you should have seen the way she came blazing into that alleyway. She didn't know me at all, and yet she fought like I was the most important person in the galaxy. I mean, I had that data on Saren, but she didn't even ask about that until she was sure that I was okay and I'd received medical attention. I think I was already attracted to her at that point, although I didn't realize it. There's something magnetic about her personality, in the way that she's so honest and passionate in everything she does. You can tell that she cares about people, even 'nobody quarians' she's only just met."

As Tali spoke, Liara could hear her own thoughts and feelings reflected in the words. She wondered if she should tell Tali about the special bond that she suspected she and Lucy shared, but thought better of it. In due time, perhaps, but she hadn't even dared confess it to the Spectre yet.

"All I know is, as time went on, I found myself thinking about her constantly. Eventually, I was forced to admit that I was in love. It was quite a shock, I can tell you. Not many quarians maintain relationships outside the Flotilla, mostly because it means leaving our home. There were a million reasons why it was a bad idea, and at first I tried to deny it. When that didn't work, I tried to repress it, but...well, you saw how well that went. I never really questioned the fact that she was a woman though. We're already different species, different chiralities, and I'm stuck in this damn suit...the fact we're the same gender didn't seem important compared to those obstacles. I-I don't think of myself as, you know, gay...I guess you could say I'm just Shepsexual."

"'Shepsexual'?" Liara asked, wondering why she hadn't come across the term in her research. "I do not recall hearing tha-...oh...oh, I see."

"It must be different for you though. Asari can, er, 'mate' with any species, and you've lived so long already."

"It is true that asari prize genetic diversity, and thus have the potential to be attracted to members of any species or gender, but it varies from individual to individual. I grew up on Thessia, in the heart of asari space. From time to time my mother would host visitors from off world, but that was my only contact with the other races until I left home. Once I reached university, I buried myself in my work. It left little time for, what was that phrase that Wrex used? 'Chasing tail.'"

"It sounds like our childhoods weren't so different." Tali mused. "Both shut away in our own little worlds."

"Yes. It may not seem like it, but in asari terms, we are pretty much the same age."

"I've heard that your people can live for more than a millennium. I still have trouble wrapping my head around it. You certainly don't look one hundred though. If you were quarian, you'd be in a mobility exoskeleton by now." Tali chuckled. "But still, in all that time, you've never, you know...?"

Liara shook her head sadly.

"I've never been very adept in social situations." She gave a tiny smile. "You may have noticed. I...appreciated the beauty of other asari, but never enough to spur me into action. It didn't help that some of them were prejudiced against me because I was a pureblood."

"A pureblood?" Tali asked. "I've never heard that phrase before, but I assume it's not polite."

"It is a derogatory term for children born from a Union between two asari. Some consider them inferior to those who are born from Union with other races."

"What a load of varren dung! I mean, before you discovered space travel, surely they were the only type of asari in existence!"

"You are correct, although many choose to overlook that 'uncomfortable' fact. It was...unpleasant, at times. Some of the other maidens would bully me; call me names, soil my work. It didn't help that my mother was an influential matriarch. They believed I must be arrogant and spoiled. In any case, it deterred me from pursuing any kind of relationship, and from following in my mother's footsteps."

"That...that's horrible! Well, if it's any consolation, I know how you felt. Most of the galaxy tends to look down on quarians. 'Suit rat', 'gypsy', 'space tramp'; it seems like it's a different name every time."

"The mistreatment and prejudice towards the quarian people was always something my mother despised." Liara said quietly, her stroll through memory lane conjuring up images of the errant matriarch. "She was outspoken against the loss of their embassy, and petitioned the council multiple times to grant them colony rights for some of the compatible frontier worlds."

Thinking of Benezia invariably led to the mental images of her on Verdus, face twisted into a bitter snarl. It hadn't been an asari they'd faced; it had been a monster.

"It...It's things like that which make her betrayal impossible to comprehend. She was always so compassionate; aloof at times, but caring and generous to those who needed it most. She taught me so much. I may have rebelled against her plans for me by becoming an archaeologist, but I always admired her as a matriarch. I cannot understand what could make her become so...so...evil."

"We don't have all the facts." Tali replied. "Who knows what Saren did to make her work for him? Drugs? Mind control? Blackmail? You don't have to assume that the person she once was is truly gone."

"I would like to think that." Liara replied in a subdued tone. "After seeing her though...I'm not sure I can. When she captured me and Lucy, I could see in her eyes that she was enjoying it! There was nothing there; no mercy, not even a recognition that I was someone she once loved."

"I'm sorry Liara."

"T-Thank you. Still, there is little that can be done about it now. Perhaps we should discuss a more cheerful topic."

"If you're sure." Tali touched her elbow lightly. "Did you say you were..."

"And back!" A slightly flushed Shepard jogged up alongside the pair, carrying a neatly gift-wrapped box under one arm. "Damn high-heels, it's impossible to run in these things."

Liara jumped slightly. She hadn't heard the Spectre's approach at all.

_I guess some skills you learn on the battlefield never truly switch off._

"Lucy." Tali glanced from Shepard's rosy cheeks to the package she was holding. "What have you got there?"

"Oh, nothing much." Shepard wasn't completely successful at hiding her smirk. "Come on, I can see the place up ahead. I'll show you once we're inside."


End file.
